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Most Affordable Cities for Software Engineers
Software engineers command top salaries, but coastal tech hubs can eat most of those gains. These metros offer the strongest salary-to-rent ratio using actual local BLS wages.
Data: BLS OEWS · Local wages · 2-bedroom HUD Fair Market Rent
Top 25 Most Affordable Cities
Cities where local Software Engineers salaries go furthest, ranked by lowest rent burden.
| # | City | 2BR Rent / yr | Rent Burden | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aguadilla, PR | $6,768 | 8.7% | A |
| 2 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $13,140 | 10.0% | A |
| 3 | Dothan, AL | $11,400 | 10.2% | A |
| 4 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $11,676 | 10.4% | A |
| 5 | Joplin, MO | $11,364 | 10.4% | A |
| 6 | Decatur, AL | $11,532 | 10.5% | A |
| 7 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $13,332 | 10.5% | A |
| 8 | Binghamton, NY | $13,236 | 10.6% | A |
| 9 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $13,236 | 10.6% | A |
| 10 | Jefferson City, MO | $10,920 | 10.6% | A |
| 11 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $12,528 | 10.7% | A |
| 12 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $11,676 | 10.9% | A |
| 13 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $11,892 | 11.0% | A |
| 14 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $12,852 | 11.0% | A |
| 15 | Pocatello, ID | $14,076 | 11.1% | A |
| 16 | Alexandria, LA | $11,928 | 11.1% | A |
| 17 | Decatur, IL | $12,756 | 11.1% | A |
| 18 | Ames, IA | $13,836 | 11.1% | A |
| 19 | Bowling Green, KY | $13,836 | 11.2% | A |
| 20 | Peoria, IL | $12,468 | 11.3% | A |
| 21 | Mansfield, OH | $11,676 | 11.3% | A |
| 22 | Las Cruces, NM | $12,504 | 11.3% | A |
| 23 | Monroe, LA | $12,312 | 11.4% | A |
| 24 | Montgomery, AL | $12,192 | 11.4% | A |
| 25 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $12,612 | 11.4% | 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 Software Engineers salaries.
| # | City | 2BR Rent / yr | Rent Burden | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $50,568 | 34.3% | D |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $31,704 | 26.1% | C |
| 3 | Napa, CA | $33,276 | 23.8% | B |
| 4 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $37,488 | 23.3% | B |
| 5 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $33,924 | 23.1% | B |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $43,248 | 23.0% | B |
| 7 | Salinas, CA | $32,208 | 22.8% | B |
| 8 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $36,012 | 22.8% | B |
| 9 | Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH | $35,292 | 22.8% | B |
| 10 | New York, NY | $34,920 | 21.7% | B |