Best cities for a cooking chef
The best cities for cooking chefs are North Las Vegas, NV, Detroit, MI, and Portland, OR, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for cooking chefs vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for cooking chefs in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a cooking chef or considering a move, this list of the best cities for cooking chefs to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for cooking chefs. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a cooking chef. While the absolute best city for cooking chefs is North Las Vegas, NV, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for cooking chefs in 2024.
If you're looking for a cooking chef job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for cooking chefs in 2025
1. North Las Vegas, NV
Total cooking chef jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $42,224 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location quotient: 6.29 2. Detroit, MI
Total cooking chef jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $40,305 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location quotient: 2.28 3. Portland, OR
Total cooking chef jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $43,365 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000 Location quotient: 1.01 4. Philadelphia, PA
Total cooking chef jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $40,808 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location quotient: 0.71 5. Anchorage, AK
Total cooking chef jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $44,437 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location quotient: 1.36 6. Pittsburgh, PA
Total cooking chef jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $39,151 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $57,000 Location quotient: 0.68 7. Saint Paul, MN
Total cooking chef jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $38,965 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location quotient: 2.51 8. Columbus, OH
Total cooking chef jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $37,052 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location quotient: 0.62 9. Minneapolis, MN
Total cooking chef jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $38,976 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000 Location quotient: 0.91 10. Las Vegas, NV
Total cooking chef jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $42,307 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for cooking chefs
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Detroit, MI
- Portland, OR
- Philadelphia, PA
- Anchorage, AK
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Saint Paul, MN
- Columbus, OH
- Minneapolis, MN
- Las Vegas, NV
- (1 cooking chef jobs)
- (7 cooking chef jobs)
- (5 cooking chef jobs)
- (5 cooking chef jobs)
- (1 cooking chef jobs)
- (3 cooking chef jobs)
- (7 cooking chef jobs)
- (4 cooking chef jobs)
- (5 cooking chef jobs)
- (0 cooking chef jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a cooking chef
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Las Vegas, NV | $42,224 | $29,000 | 238,702 | 1 |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | $40,305 | $28,000 | 672,795 | 7 |
| 3 | Portland, OR | $43,365 | $31,000 | 639,863 | 5 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $40,808 | $26,000 | 1,567,872 | 5 |
| 5 | Anchorage, AK | $44,437 | $38,000 | 298,192 | 1 |
| 6 | Pittsburgh, PA | $39,151 | $26,000 | 303,625 | 3 |
| 7 | Saint Paul, MN | $38,965 | $29,000 | 302,398 | 7 |
| 8 | Columbus, OH | $37,052 | $26,000 | 860,090 | 4 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $38,976 | $29,000 | 413,651 | 5 |
| 10 | Las Vegas, NV | $42,307 | $29,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 11 | Reno, NV | $43,130 | $30,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 12 | Cleveland, OH | $38,737 | $26,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 13 | Sacramento, CA | $46,097 | $32,000 | 495,234 | 2 |
| 14 | Henderson, NV | $42,214 | $29,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 15 | Boston, MA | $43,462 | $28,000 | 673,184 | 4 |
| 16 | Jersey City, NJ | $47,429 | $30,000 | 264,152 | 1 |
| 17 | Austin, TX | $36,603 | $25,000 | 947,890 | 6 |
| 18 | Newark, NJ | $47,407 | $30,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 19 | Toledo, OH | $38,365 | $27,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 20 | Cincinnati, OH | $36,148 | $26,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 21 | Irvine, CA | $45,409 | $31,000 | 266,122 | 2 |
| 22 | San Francisco, CA | $46,859 | $32,000 | 870,887 | 3 |
| 23 | El Paso, TX | $38,328 | $27,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 24 | Madison, WI | $34,728 | $25,000 | 252,551 | 2 |
| 25 | Oakland, CA | $46,759 | $32,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 26 | Los Angeles, CA | $45,692 | $31,000 | 3,976,322 | 4 |
| 27 | San Jose, CA | $46,689 | $32,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $45,161 | $31,000 | 1,406,630 | 4 |
| 29 | Fremont, CA | $46,688 | $32,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 30 | Laredo, TX | $37,029 | $25,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 31 | Fresno, CA | $45,851 | $31,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 32 | Stockton, CA | $46,262 | $32,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 33 | Bakersfield, CA | $45,762 | $31,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 34 | Lubbock, TX | $37,092 | $26,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 35 | Long Beach, CA | $45,615 | $31,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 36 | Houston, TX | $36,290 | $25,000 | 2,303,482 | 7 |
| 37 | Seattle, WA | $41,389 | $30,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 38 | San Antonio, TX | $36,730 | $25,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 39 | Anaheim, CA | $45,471 | $31,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 40 | Santa Ana, CA | $45,457 | $31,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 41 | Colorado Springs, CO | $36,490 | $27,000 | 465,101 | 10 |
| 42 | Albuquerque, NM | $32,174 | $23,000 | 559,277 | 5 |
| 43 | Omaha, NE | $32,107 | $23,000 | 446,970 | 4 |
| 44 | Corpus Christi, TX | $36,579 | $25,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 45 | Oklahoma City, OK | $31,778 | $23,000 | 638,367 | 3 |
| 46 | Riverside, CA | $45,170 | $31,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 47 | Chicago, IL | $39,199 | $28,000 | 2,704,958 | 1 |
| 48 | Chula Vista, CA | $45,150 | $31,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 49 | Dallas, TX | $36,360 | $25,000 | 1,317,929 | - |
| 50 | Fort Worth, TX | $36,445 | $26,000 | 854,113 | - |
Highest paying cities for cooking chefs
| Rank | City | Avg. cooking chef salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Teaneck, NJ | $47,492 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $46,859 |
| 3 | Plymouth, MA | $43,804 |
| 4 | Portland, OR | $43,365 |
| 5 | Philadelphia, PA | $40,808 |
| 6 | Troy, MI | $40,428 |
| 7 | New York, NY | $39,222 |
| 8 | White Bear Lake, MN | $39,035 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $37,052 |
| 10 | Austin, TX | $36,603 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $36,579 |
| 12 | Portland, ME | $36,534 |
| 13 | Lafayette, IN | $33,909 |
| 14 | Marietta, GA | $33,801 |
| 15 | Kansas City, MO | $33,240 |
| 16 | Avondale, AZ | $32,607 |
| 17 | Bellevue, NE | $32,070 |
| 18 | Hialeah, FL | $31,846 |
Cooking chef best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025