Best cities for a lawyer
The best cities for lawyers are Hempstead, NY, New York, NY, and Washington, DC, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for lawyers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for lawyers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a lawyer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for lawyers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for lawyers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a lawyer. While the absolute best city for lawyers is Hempstead, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for lawyers in 2024.
If you're looking for a lawyer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for lawyers in 2026
1. Hempstead, NY
Total lawyer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $135,853 Lowest 10 percent warn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 537.02 2. New York, NY
Lawyer jobs in New YorkTotal lawyer jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $135,603 Lowest 10 percent warn: $79,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $231,000 Location quotient: 119.55 3. Washington, DC
Lawyer jobs in WashingtonTotal lawyer jobs: 141 Average annual salary: $155,728 Lowest 10 percent warn: $90,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $267,000 Location quotient: 87.28 4. Boston, MA
Lawyer jobs in BostonTotal lawyer jobs: 62 Average annual salary: $129,251 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $221,000 Location quotient: 30.92 5. San Francisco, CA
Lawyer jobs in San FranciscoTotal lawyer jobs: 61 Average annual salary: $130,368 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $225,000 Location quotient: 21.77 6. Oakland, CA
Lawyer jobs in OaklandTotal lawyer jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $130,187 Lowest 10 percent warn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $225,000 Location quotient: 22.39 7. Los Angeles, CA
Lawyer jobs in Los AngelesTotal lawyer jobs: 163 Average annual salary: $124,617 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $216,000 Location quotient: 67.83 8. Long Beach, CA
Total lawyer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $124,033 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $215,000 Location quotient: 46.74 9. Santa Ana, CA
Lawyer jobs in Santa AnaTotal lawyer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $123,775 Lowest 10 percent warn: $71,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $215,000 Location quotient: 57.20 10. Buffalo, NY
Total lawyer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $131,576 Lowest 10 percent warn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $226,000 Location quotient: 17.44
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Best cities for lawyers
- Hempstead, NY
- New York, NY
- Washington, DC
- Boston, MA
- San Francisco, CA
- Oakland, CA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- Santa Ana, CA
- Buffalo, NY
- (5 lawyer jobs)
- (73 lawyer jobs)
- (141 lawyer jobs)
- (62 lawyer jobs)
- (61 lawyer jobs)
- (6 lawyer jobs)
- (163 lawyer jobs)
- (8 lawyer jobs)
- (8 lawyer jobs)
- (5 lawyer jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a lawyer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hempstead, NY | $135,853 | $79,000 | 759,757 | 5 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $135,603 | $79,000 | 8,537,673 | 73 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $155,728 | $90,000 | 681,170 | 141 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $129,251 | $75,000 | 673,184 | 62 |
| 5 | San Francisco, CA | $130,368 | $75,000 | 870,887 | 61 |
| 6 | Oakland, CA | $130,187 | $75,000 | 420,005 | 6 |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $124,617 | $71,000 | 3,976,322 | 163 |
| 8 | Long Beach, CA | $124,033 | $71,000 | 470,130 | 8 |
| 9 | Santa Ana, CA | $123,775 | $71,000 | 334,217 | 8 |
| 10 | Buffalo, NY | $131,576 | $76,000 | 256,902 | 5 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $123,600 | $71,000 | 266,122 | 23 |
| 12 | San Diego, CA | $121,519 | $69,000 | 1,406,630 | 43 |
| 13 | Fremont, CA | $130,056 | $75,000 | 233,136 | 5 |
| 14 | Cleveland, OH | $96,197 | $55,000 | 385,809 | 5 |
| 15 | El Paso, TX | $93,216 | $52,000 | 683,080 | 18 |
| 16 | San Jose, CA | $130,006 | $75,000 | 1,025,350 | 16 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $96,324 | $54,000 | 632,912 | 14 |
| 18 | Sacramento, CA | $128,466 | $74,000 | 495,234 | 5 |
| 19 | Philadelphia, PA | $96,535 | $56,000 | 1,567,872 | 22 |
| 20 | Brookhaven, NY | $136,407 | $79,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 21 | Islip, NY | $136,201 | $79,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 22 | Oyster Bay, NY | $135,984 | $79,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 23 | Houston, TX | $90,228 | $49,000 | 2,303,482 | 71 |
| 24 | Detroit, MI | $92,050 | $53,000 | 672,795 | 7 |
| 25 | Columbus, OH | $93,712 | $53,000 | 860,090 | 4 |
| 26 | Chicago, IL | $92,352 | $53,000 | 2,704,958 | 58 |
| 27 | San Antonio, TX | $91,079 | $50,000 | 1,492,510 | 14 |
| 28 | Stockton, CA | $129,097 | $74,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 29 | Fresno, CA | $128,277 | $73,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 30 | Austin, TX | $91,055 | $50,000 | 947,890 | 23 |
| 31 | Bakersfield, CA | $127,028 | $73,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 32 | Toledo, OH | $94,435 | $54,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 33 | Anaheim, CA | $123,959 | $71,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 34 | Albuquerque, NM | $102,439 | $57,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 35 | Riverside, CA | $123,780 | $71,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 36 | Minneapolis, MN | $92,258 | $53,000 | 413,651 | 11 |
| 37 | Seattle, WA | $102,928 | $59,000 | 704,352 | 21 |
| 38 | Dallas, TX | $85,857 | $47,000 | 1,317,929 | 33 |
| 39 | Arlington, TX | $86,422 | $47,000 | 392,772 | 2 |
| 40 | Greensboro, NC | $85,316 | $48,000 | 287,027 | 2 |
| 41 | Hialeah, FL | $79,717 | $44,000 | 236,387 | 4 |
| 42 | Virginia Beach, VA | $110,011 | $63,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 43 | Norfolk, VA | $109,861 | $63,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 44 | Jersey City, NJ | $107,343 | $62,000 | 264,152 | 4 |
| 45 | Chula Vista, CA | $121,116 | $69,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 46 | Chesapeake, VA | $109,565 | $63,000 | 237,940 | - |
| 47 | Miami, FL | $79,620 | $44,000 | 453,579 | 100 |
| 48 | Pittsburgh, PA | $92,688 | $53,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 49 | Henderson, NV | $96,194 | $54,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 50 | Cincinnati, OH | $90,926 | $51,000 | 298,800 | - |
Highest paying cities for lawyers
| Rank | City | Avg. lawyer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $155,728 |
| 2 | White Plains, NY | $135,844 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $130,368 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $129,251 |
| 5 | Alexandria, VA | $112,133 |
| 6 | Fort Lee, NJ | $107,439 |
| 7 | Seattle, WA | $102,928 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $96,535 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $96,324 |
| 10 | El Paso, TX | $93,216 |
| 11 | Glenview, IL | $92,427 |
| 12 | Minneapolis, MN | $92,258 |
| 13 | Detroit, MI | $92,050 |
| 14 | Rockville, MD | $85,087 |
| 15 | Tampa, FL | $80,813 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $79,049 |
| 17 | Salt Lake City, UT | $76,070 |
| 18 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $62,242 |
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Updated January 8, 2025