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These Are The 10 Best Cities For Executive Chefs

By Chris Kolmar
Dec. 18, 2016
Last Modified and Fact Checked on:

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If you’re an aspiring executive chef or considering a career shift, understanding the best cities for your profession can significantly impact your long-term career trajectory. The landscape for executive chefs has evolved, with regional disparities influencing both salaries and job opportunities.

At Zippia, we’ve analyzed the cities across the United States that offer the most favorable conditions for executive chefs. This includes cities where salaries are competitive relative to the cost of living, and where job opportunities abound.

We utilized data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to compile a list of the top cities for executive chefs based on current employment trends and compensation packages. Here are the best cities for executive chefs in 2026:

  1. Naples, FL
  2. The Villages, FL
  3. Santa Fe, NM
  4. Cape Coral, FL
  5. Lynn, MA
  6. Hilton Head Island, SC
  7. Atlantic City, NJ
  8. West Palm Beach, FL
  9. Las Vegas, NV
  10. Newark, NJ

Naples stands out as the premier city for executive chefs, offering an appealing combination of salary and job availability.

On the flip side, if you’re an executive chef, you might want to steer clear of Springfield, IL, which currently ranks as one of the less favorable locations for this profession.

Let’s delve into how we arrived at our findings regarding the best cities for executive chefs and explore more details about the top ten cities.

How We Determined the Best Cities for Executive Chefs




At Zippia, we engage with a diverse range of job seekers. Our research indicates that two primary factors are crucial for job seekers:

  • Job availability
  • Competitive compensation

To identify the best cities for executive chefs in 2026, we analyzed where the jobs are and how well executive chefs are compensated. Our evaluation criteria included:

  • Location quotient: A measure indicating how prevalent a job is in a specific city.
  • Average annual salary.
  • Average annual salary for entry-level positions.

We adjusted salary figures for cost of living differences across states to create a fair comparison.

This analysis covered 278 metropolitan areas across the nation, with the primary area labeled as the ‘city’ for clarity. For example, the “Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA NECTA Division” was classified simply as Boston.

We created an overall ranking by scoring each city across the criteria from 1 to 278, with 1 being the best. We then averaged these scores to determine the top city for executive chefs in America.

Now, let’s explore what makes each of these cities ideal for executive chefs.

1. Naples, FL

Total Jobs: 360
Average Annual Salary: $57,970
Average Entry Level Salary: $35,810
Location Quotient: 2.94

2. The Villages, FL

Total Jobs: 80
Average Annual Salary: $58,070
Average Entry Level Salary: $35,390
Location Quotient: 3.52

3. Santa Fe, NM

Total Jobs: 110
Average Annual Salary: $59,760
Average Entry Level Salary: $32,900
Location Quotient: 1.91

4. Cape Coral, FL

Total Jobs: 370
Average Annual Salary: $59,700
Average Entry Level Salary: $38,700
Location Quotient: 1.68

5. Lynn, MA

Total Jobs: 110
Average Annual Salary: $62,980
Average Entry Level Salary: $40,720
Location Quotient: 2.65

6. Hilton Head Island, SC

Total Jobs: 140
Average Annual Salary: $48,150
Average Entry Level Salary: $31,750
Location Quotient: 2.09

7. Atlantic City, NJ

Total Jobs: 390
Average Annual Salary: $57,110
Average Entry Level Salary: $34,760
Location Quotient: 3.31

8. West Palm Beach, FL

Total Jobs: 680
Average Annual Salary: $63,550
Average Entry Level Salary: $35,710
Location Quotient: 1.29

9. Las Vegas, NV

Total Jobs: 2,800
Average Annual Salary: $52,330
Average Entry Level Salary: $33,100
Location Quotient: 3.29

10. Newark, NJ

Total Jobs: 1,360
Average Annual Salary: $59,540
Average Entry Level Salary: $39,290
Location Quotient: 1.25

And That’s Our List of the Best Cities for Executive Chefs

If you’re starting your journey as an executive chef, these cities should be your top considerations. You’ll find not only high salaries but also ample job openings and opportunities for advancement.

If you’re interested in the less favorable locations, consider avoiding the following:

  1. Springfield, IL
  2. Kalamazoo, MI
  3. Mansfield, OH

Detailed List Of The Best Cities For Executive Chefs

Rank State Average Salary Entry Level Salary # Of People
1 Naples, FL $57,970 $35,810 360
2 The Villages, FL $58,070 $35,390 80
3 Santa Fe, NM $59,760 $32,900 110
4 Cape Coral, FL $59,700 $38,700 370
5 Lynn, MA $62,980 $40,720 110
6 Hilton Head Island, SC $48,150 $31,750 140
7 Atlantic City, NJ $57,110 $34,760 390
8 West Palm Beach, FL $63,550 $35,710 680
9 Las Vegas, NV $52,330 $33,100 2,800
10 Newark, NJ $59,540 $39,290 1,360
11 Crestview, FL $50,170 $31,980 190
12 Morgantown, WV $58,960 $34,650 50
13 Providence, RI $53,910 $32,750 670
14 Carson City, NV $50,390 $33,280 30
15 Ames, IA $48,680 $40,420 40
16 Barnstable Town, MA $55,670 $36,280 150
17 Portsmouth, NH $49,190 $34,520 160
18 Sebastian, FL $63,510 $26,570 80
19 Gulfport, MS $41,930 $28,440 230
20 Salinas, CA $61,830 $29,940 240
21 Ocean City, NJ $50,090 $32,680 90
22 Pittsfield, MA $55,470 $33,640 70
23 Philadelphia, PA $56,080 $34,310 630
24 Toledo, OH $47,860 $32,430 220
25 Miami, FL $54,920 $28,750 1,290
26 Napa, CA $52,320 $31,820 180
27 East Stroudsburg, PA $48,230 $33,480 50
28 Haverhill, MA $53,880 $36,350 90
29 Hot Springs, AR $45,280 $23,850 50
30 Flagstaff, AZ $51,720 $26,650 90
31 Daphne, AL $46,210 $35,030 50
32 Niles, MI $55,490 $31,170 50
33 Seattle, WA $56,130 $31,360 1,240
34 Lexington, KY $51,390 $34,360 150
35 Ann Arbor, MI $59,440 $32,740 130
36 Montgomery, AL $54,990 $32,920 90
37 Jackson, MS $49,090 $31,290 170
38 Orlando, FL $55,330 $26,660 1,350
39 Silver Spring, MD $53,610 $34,510 660
40 Boston, MA $56,940 $31,290 2,600
41 Cincinnati, OH $48,520 $30,980 660
42 Cleveland, OH $44,640 $30,560 800
43 Flint, MI $53,170 $25,560 140
44 Colorado Springs, CO $52,520 $35,040 210
45 Lincoln, NE $50,870 $31,950 110
46 San Jose, CA $56,770 $32,520 940
47 Beaumont, TX $63,000 $35,120 60
48 Peabody, MA $60,200 $29,360 120
49 Bismarck, ND $43,480 $27,230 70
50 Birmingham, AL $57,170 $40,680 170
51 Lansing, MI $50,730 $24,050 230
52 Charlottesville, VA $47,210 $32,850 110
53 Columbus, OH $44,140 $30,610 640
54 Wilmington, DE $48,810 $34,920 260
55 Huntington, WV $50,920 $31,500 40
56 Norwich, CT $52,180 $34,040 140
57 Bellingham, WA $52,730 $28,310 60
58 Alexandria, LA $60,950 $26,370 40
59 San Francisco, CA $49,290 $29,220 2,310
60 Raleigh, NC $47,730 $33,600 320
61 Columbia, MO $42,820 $25,870 80
62 Hartford, CT $49,060 $35,330 680
63 San Rafael, CA $47,730 $29,370 290
64 Pittsburgh, PA $42,730 $31,380 1,070
65 Montgomery County, PA $51,860 $28,810 630
66 Lawrence, KS $39,530 $26,020 80
67 Palm Bay, FL $48,080 $30,080 170
68 Mount Vernon, WA $44,220 $28,650 50
69 Owensboro, KY $35,370 $25,870 60
70 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY $42,000 $29,660 260
71 Houma, LA $40,960 $30,160 90
72 Allentown, PA $52,160 $25,850 270
73 Charlotte, NC $50,130 $28,460 700
74 York, PA $45,960 $34,170 100
75 Minneapolis, MN $47,130 $28,620 1,830
76 Trenton, NJ $48,440 $31,340 240
77 Sioux City, IA $48,540 $28,450 50
78 Jacksonville, FL $50,360 $31,380 390
79 Dallas, TX $50,900 $25,870 1,520
80 Tyler, TX $47,980 $32,170 40
81 Greenville, SC $41,940 $25,010 390
82 Lakeland, FL $50,430 $33,850 110
83 Bloomington, IN $37,820 $30,960 60
84 Kahului, HI $52,830 $26,940 270
85 Portland, OR $49,760 $28,310 840
86 Springfield, MA $60,270 $29,170 280
87 Champaign, IL $51,070 $28,700 70
88 Lake County, IL $63,240 $27,780 240
89 Youngstown, OH $45,800 $28,440 90
90 Nashua, NH $42,200 $30,410 230
91 Gary, IN $43,910 $32,330 100
92 Reno, NV $47,400 $22,620 450
93 Manchester, NH $48,010 $31,570 100
94 Bend, OR $41,470 $31,110 70
95 Fort Lauderdale, FL $48,770 $28,640 620
96 St. Cloud, MN $48,530 $34,170 50
97 Shreveport, LA $41,670 $31,640 120
98 Santa Cruz, CA $49,270 $26,750 160
99 Boulder, CO $46,130 $27,340 220
100 Springfield, MO $49,130 $27,400 50
Never miss an opportunity that’s right for you.

Author

Chris Kolmar

Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.

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