Best states for a community planner

Q: What is the best state for community planners?

The best state to be a community planner is District of Columbia based on community planner salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for community planners?

The highest paying state for community planners is Arkansas based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for community planners?

The worst state for community planners is Arkansas, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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Are you thinking of becoming a community planner and really want to work at United States Army Corps of Engineers? Turns out, your chances to become a community planner are better in some states than others.Our research shows that District of Columbia is the best state in the country for community planners.

In order to get you the best states for community planners, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the Midwest is best for community planners, and the Northeast is the worst. Washington, DC is the best city in the country for community planner jobs, where as District of Columbia is the best state in the country.

10 best states for community planners in 2025

1. District of Columbia
Total community planner jobs: 89
Average annual salary: $97,650
Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $138,000
Location Quotient:
1.72
Community planner jobs in District of Columbia
2. Massachusetts
Total community planner jobs: 316
Average annual salary: $82,275
Lowest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000
Location Quotient:
1.12
Community planner jobs in Massachusetts
3. California
Total community planner jobs: 1,098
Average annual salary: $81,888
Lowest 10 percent earn: $57,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000
Location Quotient:
1.22
Community planner jobs in California
4. New York
Total community planner jobs: 570
Average annual salary: $74,300
Lowest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000
Location Quotient:
1.44
Community planner jobs in New York
5. Nevada
Total community planner jobs: 80
Average annual salary: $71,470
Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $100,000
Location Quotient:
1.24
Community planner jobs in Nevada
6. Connecticut
Total community planner jobs: 145
Average annual salary: $72,836
Lowest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000
Location Quotient:
1.42
Community planner jobs in Connecticut
7. Oregon
Total community planner jobs: 141
Average annual salary: $74,629
Lowest 10 percent earn: $55,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Community planner jobs in Oregon
8. Virginia
Total community planner jobs: 329
Average annual salary: $72,622
Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000
Location Quotient:
1.13
Community planner jobs in Virginia
9. Delaware
Total community planner jobs: 35
Average annual salary: $71,487
Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000
Location Quotient:
0.91
Community planner jobs in Delaware
10. Pennsylvania
Total community planner jobs: 399
Average annual salary: $65,985
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000
Location Quotient:
1.11
Community planner jobs in Pennsylvania

Community planner jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a community planner

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a community planner

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	District of Columbia	$97,650	$68,000	693,972	89
2	Massachusetts	$82,275	$58,000	6,859,819	316
3	California	$81,888	$57,000	39,536,653	1,098
4	New York	$74,300	$52,000	19,849,399	570
5	Nevada	$71,470	$50,000	2,998,039	80
6	Connecticut	$72,836	$51,000	3,588,184	145
7	Oregon	$74,629	$55,000	4,142,776	141
8	Virginia	$72,622	$50,000	8,470,020	329
9	Delaware	$71,487	$50,000	961,939	35
10	Pennsylvania	$65,985	$46,000	12,805,537	399
11	Washington	$71,883	$54,000	7,405,743	209
12	Maryland	$70,374	$49,000	6,052,177	305
13	Vermont	$72,589	$52,000	623,657	17
14	Rhode Island	$71,547	$50,000	1,059,639	23
15	New Jersey	$72,127	$51,000	9,005,644	197
16	Alaska	$68,682	$58,000	739,795	23
17	Minnesota	$63,944	$47,000	5,576,606	210
18	Kansas	$67,664	$49,000	2,913,123	48
19	Wyoming	$65,152	$48,000	579,315	4
20	New Hampshire	$59,781	$42,000	1,342,795	55
21	Hawaii	$63,556	$50,000	1,427,538	37
22	Maine	$61,815	$44,000	1,335,907	30
23	North Carolina	$58,306	$39,000	10,273,419	326
24	Louisiana	$64,164	$42,000	4,684,333	42
25	Illinois	$60,013	$43,000	12,802,023	372
26	Colorado	$58,711	$43,000	5,607,154	232
27	North Dakota	$59,453	$45,000	755,393	25
28	Nebraska	$57,997	$43,000	1,920,076	63
29	Texas	$58,042	$39,000	28,304,596	595
30	Kentucky	$58,861	$41,000	4,454,189	77
31	Wisconsin	$56,884	$41,000	5,795,483	167
32	Tennessee	$56,069	$39,000	6,715,984	160
33	Oklahoma	$58,680	$42,000	3,930,864	47
34	Iowa	$57,135	$42,000	3,145,711	94
35	Ohio	$56,965	$40,000	11,658,609	263
36	Missouri	$57,722	$41,000	6,113,532	158
37	South Carolina	$53,018	$35,000	5,024,369	154
38	Alabama	$55,001	$37,000	4,874,747	96
39	Indiana	$54,486	$39,000	6,666,818	179
40	Utah	$55,957	$41,000	3,101,833	78
41	Georgia	$54,281	$36,000	10,429,379	283
42	Mississippi	$55,039	$37,000	2,984,100	35
43	Arizona	$49,869	$35,000	7,016,270	194
44	Michigan	$53,340	$38,000	9,962,311	190
45	Idaho	$55,761	$41,000	1,716,943	19
46	Florida	$48,260	$31,000	20,984,400	444
47	South Dakota	$53,155	$40,000	869,666	10
48	Montana	$54,104	$41,000	1,050,493	14
49	New Mexico	$49,777	$35,000	2,088,070	47
50	West Virginia	$49,616	$35,000	1,815,857	20
51	Arkansas	$47,466	$33,000	3,004,279	47

Highest paying states for community planners

Rank	State	Avg. Community Planner Salary
1	District of Columbia	$97,650
2	Massachusetts	$82,275
3	California	$81,888
4	New York	$74,300
5	Nevada	$71,470
6	Connecticut	$72,836
7	Oregon	$74,629
8	Virginia	$72,622
9	Delaware	$71,487
10	Pennsylvania	$65,985
11	Washington	$71,883
12	Maryland	$70,374
13	Vermont	$72,589
14	Rhode Island	$71,547
15	New Jersey	$72,127
16	Alaska	$68,682
17	Minnesota	$63,944
18	Kansas	$67,664
19	Wyoming	$65,152
20	New Hampshire	$59,781
21	Hawaii	$63,556
22	Maine	$61,815
23	North Carolina	$58,306
24	Louisiana	$64,164
25	Illinois	$60,013
26	Colorado	$58,711
27	North Dakota	$59,453
28	Nebraska	$57,997
29	Texas	$58,042
30	Kentucky	$58,861
31	Wisconsin	$56,884
32	Tennessee	$56,069
33	Oklahoma	$58,680
34	Iowa	$57,135
35	Ohio	$56,965
36	Missouri	$57,722
37	South Carolina	$53,018
38	Alabama	$55,001
39	Indiana	$54,486
40	Utah	$55,957
41	Georgia	$54,281
42	Mississippi	$55,039
43	Arizona	$49,869
44	Michigan	$53,340
45	Idaho	$55,761
46	Florida	$48,260
47	South Dakota	$53,155
48	Montana	$54,104
49	New Mexico	$49,777
50	West Virginia	$49,616
51	Arkansas	$47,466

Community planner best states FAQs

What is the best state for community planners?

What is the highest paying state for community planners?

What is the worst state for community planners?

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Community Planner
Best states for Community Planners

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total community planner jobs:	89
Average annual salary:	$97,650
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$68,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$138,000
Location Quotient:	1.72

Best states for a community planner

10 best states for community planners in 2025

1. District of Columbia

2. Massachusetts

3. California

4. New York

5. Nevada

6. Connecticut

7. Oregon

8. Virginia

9. Delaware

10. Pennsylvania