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Most Affordable Cities for Lawyers
Legal careers command strong salaries, but the top legal markets are also the most expensive places to live. These cities offer the best salary-to-rent ratio for attorneys using local BLS wages.
Data: BLS OEWS · Local wages · 2-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent
Top 25 Most Affordable Cities
Cities where local Lawyers salaries go furthest, ranked by lowest rent burden.
| # | City | 2BR Rent / yr | Rent Burden | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midland, MI | $14,316 | 6.1% | A |
| 2 | Saginaw, MI | $13,404 | 8.3% | A |
| 3 | Terre Haute, IN | $13,128 | 8.4% | A |
| 4 | Muncie, IN | $12,516 | 8.4% | A |
| 5 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $13,944 | 8.4% | A |
| 6 | Battle Creek, MI | $14,112 | 8.4% | A |
| 7 | Winston-Salem, NC | $14,784 | 8.5% | A |
| 8 | Peoria, IL | $12,468 | 8.6% | A |
| 9 | Amarillo, TX | $13,272 | 8.7% | A |
| 10 | Lafayette, LA | $12,228 | 8.8% | A |
| 11 | Evansville, IN | $13,356 | 8.8% | A |
| 12 | Niles, MI | $14,208 | 8.9% | A |
| 13 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $16,056 | 8.9% | A |
| 14 | Bay City, MI | $12,360 | 8.9% | A |
| 15 | Las Cruces, NM | $12,504 | 9.0% | A |
| 16 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $14,832 | 9.0% | A |
| 17 | Springfield, MO | $13,140 | 9.1% | A |
| 18 | Mobile, AL | $12,996 | 9.1% | A |
| 19 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $12,528 | 9.3% | A |
| 20 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $11,892 | 9.3% | A |
| 21 | Sheboygan, WI | $13,392 | 9.3% | A |
| 22 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $16,296 | 9.3% | A |
| 23 | Eagle Pass, TX | $11,676 | 9.4% | A |
| 24 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $16,164 | 9.4% | A |
| 25 | Columbia, MO | $13,920 | 9.4% | A |
How We Calculate the Affordability Grade
We use actual local wages from BLS OEWS for each metro, then divide the annual 2-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent by that local salary to get a rent burden percentage. Financial advisors recommend keeping housing under 30% of gross income (the "30% rule"). Grades: A <20% · B 20–25% · C 25–30% · D 30–40% · F >40%
10 Least Affordable Cities
Cities where rent puts the biggest strain on Lawyers salaries.
| # | City | 2BR Rent / yr | Rent Burden | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $31,704 | 25.9% | C |
| 2 | Kahului-Wailuku-Lahaina, HI | $31,488 | 25.8% | C |
| 3 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $50,568 | 25.3% | C |
| 4 | Bozeman, MT | $25,848 | 22.2% | B |
| 5 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $24,048 | 20.3% | B |
| 6 | Barnstable Town, MA | $29,064 | 20.0% | A |
| 7 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $37,488 | 19.9% | A |
| 8 | Hinesville, GA | $16,872 | 19.8% | A |
| 9 | Portland, ME | $25,560 | 19.6% | A |
| 10 | Missoula, MT | $19,860 | 18.8% | A |