NextChapter

Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southeast

Chantilly leads the Southeast for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $192k buys at average US prices.November 2026 edition. Updated monthly, from open jobs we verified on employer career sites.

Key facts

  • #1 Chantilly, VA: $192k
  • #2 Mc Lean, VA: $161k
  • #3 Herndon, VA: $159k
  • 29 cities ranked in the Southeast
  • Data as of November 2026

For comparison: $128k across the typical city in our data.

  1. 1Chantilly VA$192k
  2. 2Mc Lean VA$161k
  3. 3Herndon VA$159k
  4. 4Reston VA$158k
  5. 5Huntsville AL$155k
  6. 6McLean VA$148k
  7. 7Arlington VA$143k
  8. 8Frankfort KY$139k
  9. 9Alexandria VA$139k
  10. 10Manassas VA$137k

What stands out

  • The top ten is tightly packed: Chantilly leads on $192k, and #10 Manassas is at $137k.
  • Chantilly reaches #1 on a sample of 54 openings with pay posted, a smaller market than most of the top ten, so its rank can move more from month to month.
  • Arlington is the largest market in the top ten, with 475 openings with pay posted behind its figure.
  • Cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked, and small differences between neighbouring ranks are not meaningful.

The top 25

  1. 1

    Chantilly VA

    $192k

    Median posted pay
    $194k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    54

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Trinzic, Peraton

    Based on 54 openings with pay posted.

  2. 2

    Mc Lean VA

    $161k

    Median posted pay
    $163k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    68

    Hiring most here: Capital One, Booz Allen Hamilton, Sunrise Senior Living

    Based on 68 openings with pay posted.

  3. 3

    Herndon VA

    $159k

    Median posted pay
    $161k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    153

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Peraton

    Based on 153 openings with pay posted.

  4. 4

    Reston VA

    $158k

    Median posted pay
    $160k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    165

    Hiring most here: ICF International, CACI International, Anduril Industries

    Based on 165 openings with pay posted.

  5. 5

    Huntsville AL

    $155k

    Median posted pay
    $138k
    State prices vs US average
    −11%
    Openings with pay posted
    127

    Hiring most here: L3HARRIS Technologies, Northrop Grumman, Blue Origin

    Based on 127 openings with pay posted.

  6. 6

    McLean VA

    $148k

    Median posted pay
    $150k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    239

    Hiring most here: Capital One, The MITRE, Steampunk

    Based on 239 openings with pay posted.

  7. 7

    Arlington VA

    $143k

    Median posted pay
    $145k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    475

    Hiring most here: Amazon, AWS, Bloomberg Industry Group

    Based on 475 openings with pay posted.

  8. 8

    Frankfort KY

    $139k

    Median posted pay
    $125k
    State prices vs US average
    −10%
    Openings with pay posted
    83

    Hiring most here: Lumen, Oracle, Sazerac

    Based on 83 openings with pay posted.

  9. 9

    Alexandria VA

    $139k

    Median posted pay
    $140k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    144

    Hiring most here: Kearney, Patent and Trademark Office, Analytic Services (ANSER)

    Based on 144 openings with pay posted.

  10. 10

    Manassas VA

    $137k

    Median posted pay
    $139k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    54

    Hiring most here: General Dynamics Mission Systems, Electra.Aero, Holder Construction

    Based on 54 openings with pay posted.

  11. 11

    Nashville TN

    $137k

    Median posted pay
    $132k
    Local prices vs US average
    −4%
    Openings with pay posted
    168

    Hiring most here: Oracle, Amazon, Vanderbilt University

    Based on 168 openings with pay posted.

  12. 12

    Fort Belvoir VA

    $133k

    Median posted pay
    $135k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    64

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Teksynap, LMI

    Based on 64 openings with pay posted.

  13. 13

    Atlanta GA

    $133k

    Median posted pay
    $133k
    Local prices vs US average
    +0%
    Openings with pay posted
    752

    Hiring most here: Emory University, Oxford College of Emory University, Capgemini Invent

    Based on 752 openings with pay posted.

  14. 14

    Vienna VA

    $131k

    Median posted pay
    $133k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    91

    Hiring most here: Esri, Navy Federal Credit Union, Antithesis

    Based on 91 openings with pay posted.

  15. 15

    Springfield VA

    $130k

    Median posted pay
    $132k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    53

    Hiring most here: CACI International, Caci Technologies, HII Mission Technologies

    Based on 53 openings with pay posted.

  16. 16

    Alpharetta GA

    $130k

    Median posted pay
    $125k
    State prices vs US average
    −4%
    Openings with pay posted
    97

    Hiring most here: Morgan Stanley, Fiserv, Landis+Gyr

    Based on 97 openings with pay posted.

  17. 17

    Charlotte NC

    $125k

    Median posted pay
    $121k
    Local prices vs US average
    −3%
    Openings with pay posted
    415

    Hiring most here: Truist Financial, Scout Motors, SMBC Americas

    Based on 415 openings with pay posted.

  18. 18

    Tysons VA

    $125k

    Median posted pay
    $126k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    62

    Hiring most here: M.C. Dean, Alarm.com Holdings, LMI

    Based on 62 openings with pay posted.

  19. 19

    Raleigh NC

    $121k

    Median posted pay
    $115k
    State prices vs US average
    −6%
    Openings with pay posted
    205

    Hiring most here: First Citizens Bank, Dewberry, MaintainX

    Based on 205 openings with pay posted.

  20. 20

    Miami FL

    $117k

    Median posted pay
    $133k
    Local prices vs US average
    +14%
    Openings with pay posted
    239

    Hiring most here: University Of Miami, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Princess Cruises / Holland America Line

    Based on 239 openings with pay posted.

  21. 21

    Louisville KY

    $115k

    Median posted pay
    $103k
    State prices vs US average
    −10%
    Openings with pay posted
    476

    Hiring most here: BrightSpring Health Services, Norton Healthcare, GE Appliances

    Based on 476 openings with pay posted.

  22. 22

    Tallahassee FL

    $104k

    Median posted pay
    $107k
    State prices vs US average
    +3%
    Openings with pay posted
    79

    Hiring most here: State of Florida, L3HARRIS Technologies, Florida

    Based on 79 openings with pay posted.

  23. 23

    Norfolk VA

    $103k

    Median posted pay
    $104k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    71

    Hiring most here: Commonwealth of Virginia, Seacorp, United States Fleet Forces Command

    Based on 71 openings with pay posted.

  24. 24

    Orlando FL

    $101k

    Median posted pay
    $102k
    Local prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    98

    Hiring most here: Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin Services, Creative Financial Staffing

    Based on 98 openings with pay posted.

  25. 25

    Richmond VA

    $99k

    Median posted pay
    $100k
    State prices vs US average
    +1%
    Openings with pay posted
    198

    Hiring most here: Mckesson, Capital One, Genworth Financial

    Based on 198 openings with pay posted.

Full ranking

All 29 cities that qualified, with the figure each is ranked on.

RankCityScoreSample
1Chantilly VA$192k54
2Mc Lean VA$161k68
3Herndon VA$159k153
4Reston VA$158k165
5Huntsville AL$155k127
6McLean VA$148k239
7Arlington VA$143k475
8Frankfort KY$139k83
9Alexandria VA$139k144
10Manassas VA$137k54
11Nashville TN$137k168
12Fort Belvoir VA$133k64
13Atlanta GA$133k752
14Vienna VA$131k91
15Springfield VA$130k53
16Alpharetta GA$130k97
17Charlotte NC$125k415
18Tysons VA$125k62
19Raleigh NC$121k205
20Miami FL$117k239
21Louisville KY$115k476
22Tallahassee FL$104k79
23Norfolk VA$103k71
24Orlando FL$101k98
25Richmond VA$99k198
26Jacksonville FL$97k78
27Tampa FL$97k227
28Fort Lauderdale FL$95k70
29Boca Raton FL$92k51

How this ranking works

The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100.

Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked.

A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.

Sample bar: cities with fewer than 100 openings with pay posted are not ranked.

Sources: NextChapter job data: posted annual salary ranges; Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities 2024 (metro areas and states). Data as of November 2026.

Our job data covers professional roles on the career sites of employers we track, so figures describe that market, not every job. Spot an error? Tell us.

Questions

Which city ranks first: best cities for pay after cost of living in the southeast?
Chantilly leads the Southeast for pay after the cost of living: its median posted salary buys what $192k buys at average US prices.
How many cities are ranked?
29 cities have at least 100 openings with pay posted, so the list has 29 entries.
How is the ranking calculated?
The score is a city's median posted annual salary (the midpoint of each posted range) divided by its local price level, with the United States at 100. Price levels are the Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities for the city's metro area, or its state where no metro figure exists. Only cities with at least 50 listings that post a salary are ranked. A city where one employer posts more than 50% of its openings is not ranked, so a single company cannot decide a city's score.
How often is it updated?
Every month. This is the November 2026 edition. Older editions stay on this site at their own dated addresses.

More rankings

Cite this ranking

NextChapter, “Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southeast,” November 2026 edition. https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-southeast

Link to it: <a href="https://launchyournextchapter.com/rankings/best-cities-for-pay-vs-cost-of-living-in-the-southeast">Best cities for pay after cost of living in the Southeast (NextChapter, November 2026)</a>

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