Best cities for a journalist
The best cities for journalists are Toledo, OH, New York, NY, and Saint Louis, MO, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for journalists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for journalists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a journalist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for journalists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for journalists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a journalist. While the absolute best city for journalists is Toledo, OH, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for journalists in 2024.
10 best cities for journalists in 2026
1. Toledo, OH
Total journalist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $67,995 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location quotient: 1.86 2. New York, NY
Total journalist jobs: 109 Average annual salary: $79,456 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 2.75 3. Saint Louis, MO
Total journalist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $72,104 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location quotient: 2.59 4. Louisville, KY
Total journalist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $74,148 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $120,000 Location quotient: 1.41 5. Cincinnati, OH
Total journalist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $66,987 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location quotient: 0.77 6. Nashville, TN
Total journalist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $64,530 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $104,000 Location quotient: 0.95 7. Cleveland, OH
Total journalist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $68,314 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $111,000 Location quotient: 0.52 8. Tulsa, OK
Total journalist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $58,502 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000 Location quotient: 1.73 9. Fort Wayne, IN
Total journalist jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $57,941 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000 Location quotient: 1.42 10. Raleigh, NC
Total journalist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $63,545 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location quotient: 0.95
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Best cities for journalists
- Toledo, OH
- New York, NY
- Saint Louis, MO
- Louisville, KY
- Cincinnati, OH
- Nashville, TN
- Cleveland, OH
- Tulsa, OK
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Raleigh, NC
- (1 journalist jobs)
- (109 journalist jobs)
- (10 journalist jobs)
- (3 journalist jobs)
- (2 journalist jobs)
- (3 journalist jobs)
- (1 journalist jobs)
- (2 journalist jobs)
- (1 journalist jobs)
- (3 journalist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a journalist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Toledo, OH | $67,995 | $41,000 | 278,508 | 1 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $79,456 | $49,000 | 8,537,673 | 109 |
| 3 | Saint Louis, MO | $72,104 | $44,000 | 311,404 | 10 |
| 4 | Louisville, KY | $74,148 | $45,000 | 597,337 | 3 |
| 5 | Cincinnati, OH | $66,987 | $41,000 | 298,800 | 2 |
| 6 | Nashville, TN | $64,530 | $39,000 | 660,388 | 3 |
| 7 | Cleveland, OH | $68,314 | $41,000 | 385,809 | 1 |
| 8 | Tulsa, OK | $58,502 | $36,000 | 403,090 | 2 |
| 9 | Fort Wayne, IN | $57,941 | $35,000 | 264,488 | 1 |
| 10 | Raleigh, NC | $63,545 | $38,000 | 458,880 | 3 |
| 11 | Buffalo, NY | $76,636 | $46,000 | 256,902 | 1 |
| 12 | Detroit, MI | $70,112 | $42,000 | 672,795 | 1 |
| 13 | Newark, NJ | $77,364 | $47,000 | 281,764 | 1 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $67,917 | $41,000 | 860,090 | 2 |
| 15 | Lincoln, NE | $56,964 | $35,000 | 280,364 | 3 |
| 16 | Albuquerque, NM | $60,345 | $37,000 | 559,277 | 1 |
| 17 | Wichita, KS | $54,769 | $34,000 | 389,902 | 1 |
| 18 | Lexington, KY | $74,906 | $46,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 19 | Norfolk, VA | $61,722 | $37,000 | 245,115 | 1 |
| 20 | Memphis, TN | $61,095 | $37,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 21 | Hempstead, NY | $79,513 | $49,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 22 | Washington, DC | $69,037 | $42,000 | 681,170 | 23 |
| 23 | Islip, NY | $79,478 | $49,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 24 | Kansas City, MO | $70,040 | $43,000 | 481,420 | - |
| 25 | Philadelphia, PA | $59,973 | $36,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 26 | Oklahoma City, OK | $57,792 | $36,000 | 638,367 | 1 |
| 27 | Anchorage, AK | $56,542 | $35,000 | 298,192 | 1 |
| 28 | Oyster Bay, NY | $79,368 | $49,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 29 | Reno, NV | $62,346 | $37,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 30 | Charlotte, NC | $61,981 | $38,000 | 842,051 | 2 |
| 31 | Tucson, AZ | $55,771 | $34,000 | 530,706 | 1 |
| 32 | Seattle, WA | $56,818 | $34,000 | 704,352 | 9 |
| 33 | Brookhaven, NY | $79,306 | $48,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 34 | Jersey City, NJ | $77,392 | $47,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 35 | Corpus Christi, TX | $49,394 | $30,000 | 325,733 | 2 |
| 36 | Phoenix, AZ | $56,373 | $34,000 | 1,615,017 | 3 |
| 37 | Greensboro, NC | $63,465 | $38,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 38 | Las Vegas, NV | $58,867 | $36,000 | 632,912 | 1 |
| 39 | El Paso, TX | $51,378 | $31,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 40 | Durham, NC | $63,637 | $39,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 41 | Winston-Salem, NC | $63,324 | $38,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 42 | Saint Paul, MN | $62,327 | $37,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 43 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,226 | $36,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 44 | Omaha, NE | $57,693 | $35,000 | 446,970 | 1 |
| 45 | Minneapolis, MN | $62,301 | $37,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 46 | Madison, WI | $57,234 | $34,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 47 | Bakersfield, CA | $58,239 | $35,000 | 376,380 | 4 |
| 48 | Indianapolis, IN | $57,153 | $35,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 49 | New Orleans, LA | $56,384 | $34,000 | 391,495 | - |
| 50 | Milwaukee, WI | $57,445 | $35,000 | 595,047 | - |
Highest paying cities for journalists
| Rank | City | Avg. journalist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $79,456 |
| 2 | Saint Louis, MO | $72,104 |
| 3 | Grand Rapids, MI | $69,600 |
| 4 | Washington, DC | $69,037 |
| 5 | Cleveland, OH | $68,314 |
| 6 | Greensboro, NC | $63,465 |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $62,846 |
| 8 | Rochester, MN | $62,674 |
| 9 | Norfolk, VA | $61,722 |
| 10 | Eugene, OR | $59,925 |
| 11 | Harrisburg, PA | $59,693 |
| 12 | Boston, MA | $57,540 |
| 13 | Milwaukee, WI | $57,445 |
| 14 | Lincoln, NE | $56,964 |
| 15 | Seattle, WA | $56,818 |
| 16 | Topeka, KS | $56,759 |
| 17 | Phoenix, AZ | $56,373 |
| 18 | Atlanta, GA | $55,198 |
| 19 | Myrtle Beach, SC | $54,044 |
| 20 | Mobile, AL | $52,421 |
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Updated January 8, 2025