Best cities for a licensed practical nurse
The best cities for licensed practical nurses are Fort Wayne, IN, Toledo, OH, and Cincinnati, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for licensed practical nurses vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for licensed practical nurses in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a licensed practical nurse or considering a move, this list of the best cities for licensed practical nurses to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for licensed practical nurses. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a licensed practical nurse. While the absolute best city for licensed practical nurses is Fort Wayne, IN, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for licensed practical nurses in 2024.
If you're looking for a licensed practical nurse job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for licensed practical nurses in 2026
1. Fort Wayne, IN
Licensed practical nurse jobs in Fort WayneTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 202 Average annual salary: $50,849 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location quotient: 1.04 2. Toledo, OH
Licensed practical nurse jobs in ToledoTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 95 Average annual salary: $52,084 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location quotient: 0.64 3. Cincinnati, OH
Licensed practical nurse jobs in CincinnatiTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 182 Average annual salary: $50,323 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location quotient: 0.60 4. North Las Vegas, NV
Licensed practical nurse jobs in North Las VegasTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 28 Average annual salary: $53,692 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location quotient: 0.76 5. Lexington, KY
Licensed practical nurse jobs in LexingtonTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 149 Average annual salary: $50,079 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location quotient: 0.71 6. Cleveland, OH
Licensed practical nurse jobs in ClevelandTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $53,319 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location quotient: 0.50 7. Corpus Christi, TX
Licensed practical nurse jobs in Corpus ChristiTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 89 Average annual salary: $51,866 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location quotient: 1.16 8. Philadelphia, PA
Licensed practical nurse jobs in PhiladelphiaTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 174 Average annual salary: $56,457 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $83,000 Location quotient: 0.42 9. Laredo, TX
Licensed practical nurse jobs in LaredoTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 31 Average annual salary: $51,963 Lowest 10 percent warn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location quotient: 0.62 10. Pittsburgh, PA
Licensed practical nurse jobs in PittsburghTotal licensed practical nurse jobs: 174 Average annual salary: $53,735 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000 Location quotient: 0.42
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Best cities for licensed practical nurses
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Toledo, OH
- Cincinnati, OH
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Lexington, KY
- Cleveland, OH
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Philadelphia, PA
- Laredo, TX
- Pittsburgh, PA
- (202 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (95 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (182 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (28 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (149 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (10 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (89 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (174 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (31 licensed practical nurse jobs)
- (174 licensed practical nurse jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a licensed practical nurse
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fort Wayne, IN | $50,849 | $34,000 | 264,488 | 202 |
| 2 | Toledo, OH | $52,084 | $35,000 | 278,508 | 95 |
| 3 | Cincinnati, OH | $50,323 | $34,000 | 298,800 | 182 |
| 4 | North Las Vegas, NV | $53,692 | $38,000 | 238,702 | 28 |
| 5 | Lexington, KY | $50,079 | $34,000 | 318,449 | 149 |
| 6 | Cleveland, OH | $53,319 | $36,000 | 385,809 | 10 |
| 7 | Corpus Christi, TX | $51,866 | $36,000 | 325,733 | 89 |
| 8 | Philadelphia, PA | $56,457 | $38,000 | 1,567,872 | 174 |
| 9 | Laredo, TX | $51,963 | $37,000 | 257,156 | 31 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh, PA | $53,735 | $36,000 | 303,625 | 174 |
| 11 | Henderson, NV | $53,692 | $38,000 | 292,969 | 44 |
| 12 | Winston-Salem, NC | $50,967 | $35,000 | 242,203 | 98 |
| 13 | Albuquerque, NM | $51,449 | $36,000 | 559,277 | 88 |
| 14 | Lubbock, TX | $51,028 | $36,000 | 252,506 | 120 |
| 15 | Louisville, KY | $49,833 | $34,000 | 597,337 | 247 |
| 16 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,760 | $38,000 | 632,912 | 63 |
| 17 | Wichita, KS | $49,006 | $34,000 | 389,902 | 238 |
| 18 | El Paso, TX | $51,914 | $37,000 | 683,080 | 93 |
| 19 | Memphis, TN | $49,296 | $34,000 | 652,717 | 5 |
| 20 | Indianapolis, IN | $50,030 | $34,000 | 855,164 | 14 |
| 21 | San Antonio, TX | $51,623 | $36,000 | 1,492,510 | 219 |
| 22 | Columbus, OH | $51,387 | $35,000 | 860,090 | 211 |
| 23 | Hempstead, NY | $57,180 | $38,000 | 759,757 | 32 |
| 24 | Tulsa, OK | $49,300 | $34,000 | 403,090 | 165 |
| 25 | Greensboro, NC | $51,164 | $35,000 | 287,027 | 101 |
| 26 | Tucson, AZ | $52,487 | $37,000 | 530,706 | 193 |
| 27 | Saint Petersburg, FL | $51,146 | $35,000 | 260,999 | 176 |
| 28 | New Orleans, LA | $51,013 | $35,000 | 391,495 | 132 |
| 29 | Anchorage, AK | $56,506 | $44,000 | 298,192 | 70 |
| 30 | Detroit, MI | $53,003 | $36,000 | 672,795 | 176 |
| 31 | Nashville, TN | $49,482 | $34,000 | 660,388 | 218 |
| 32 | Newark, NJ | $57,019 | $38,000 | 281,764 | 204 |
| 33 | Reno, NV | $55,152 | $38,000 | 245,255 | 62 |
| 34 | Milwaukee, WI | $50,617 | $34,000 | 595,047 | 188 |
| 35 | Brookhaven, NY | $57,393 | $38,000 | 486,040 | 3 |
| 36 | Oklahoma City, OK | $49,679 | $35,000 | 638,367 | 242 |
| 37 | Chesapeake, VA | $53,450 | $36,000 | 237,940 | 83 |
| 38 | Mesa, AZ | $52,583 | $37,000 | 484,587 | 60 |
| 39 | Buffalo, NY | $55,696 | $37,000 | 256,902 | 242 |
| 40 | Raleigh, NC | $51,564 | $35,000 | 458,880 | 168 |
| 41 | Virginia Beach, VA | $53,702 | $36,000 | 452,602 | 131 |
| 42 | Fresno, CA | $55,533 | $39,000 | 522,053 | 152 |
| 43 | Madison, WI | $50,183 | $34,000 | 252,551 | 112 |
| 44 | Durham, NC | $51,539 | $35,000 | 263,016 | 81 |
| 45 | Omaha, NE | $48,529 | $33,000 | 446,970 | 80 |
| 46 | Fort Worth, TX | $50,749 | $35,000 | 854,113 | 169 |
| 47 | Stockton, CA | $56,164 | $39,000 | 307,072 | 82 |
| 48 | Arlington, TX | $50,740 | $35,000 | 392,772 | 49 |
| 49 | Saint Louis, MO | $49,118 | $34,000 | 311,404 | 182 |
| 50 | Glendale, AZ | $52,670 | $37,000 | 245,895 | 20 |
Highest paying cities for licensed practical nurses
| Rank | City | Avg. licensed practical nurse salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boston, MA | $57,483 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $57,081 |
| 3 | Rochester, NH | $56,965 |
| 4 | Portland, ME | $56,758 |
| 5 | Richmond, CA | $56,639 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $56,457 |
| 7 | Baltimore, MD | $55,282 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $53,772 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,760 |
| 10 | Richmond, VA | $53,320 |
| 11 | Cleveland, OH | $53,319 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $53,223 |
| 13 | Phoenix, AZ | $52,651 |
| 14 | Jacksonville, NC | $51,656 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $51,623 |
| 16 | Albuquerque, NM | $51,449 |
| 17 | Miami, FL | $51,378 |
| 18 | Fort Wayne, IN | $50,849 |
| 19 | Syracuse, UT | $50,507 |
| 20 | Chicago, IL | $50,221 |
Licensed practical nurse best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025