Best cities for a machinist
The best cities for machinists are Cleveland, OH, Chesapeake, VA, and Saint Paul, MN, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for machinists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for machinists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a machinist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for machinists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for machinists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a machinist. While the absolute best city for machinists is Cleveland, OH, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for machinists in 2024.
If you're looking for a machinist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for machinists in 2025
1. Cleveland, OH
Machinist jobs in ClevelandTotal machinist jobs: 36 Average annual salary: $41,820 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $62,000 Location quotient: 1.88 2. Chesapeake, VA
Machinist jobs in ChesapeakeTotal machinist jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $48,466 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Location quotient: 4.05 3. Saint Paul, MN
Machinist jobs in Saint PaulTotal machinist jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $46,416 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location quotient: 1.25 4. Toledo, OH
Total machinist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $40,845 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location quotient: 1.68 5. Minneapolis, MN
Machinist jobs in MinneapolisTotal machinist jobs: 56 Average annual salary: $46,390 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location quotient: 1.23 6. Newark, NJ
Machinist jobs in NewarkTotal machinist jobs: 14 Average annual salary: $50,803 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location quotient: 1.00 7. Fort Wayne, IN
Machinist jobs in Fort WayneTotal machinist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $41,478 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location quotient: 1.43 8. Anchorage, AK
Total machinist jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $52,234 Lowest 10 percent warn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000 Location quotient: 0.82 9. Norfolk, VA
Machinist jobs in NorfolkTotal machinist jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $48,696 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Location quotient: 1.03 10. Arlington, TX
Machinist jobs in ArlingtonTotal machinist jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $41,488 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $56,000 Location quotient: 1.21
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Best cities for machinists
- Cleveland, OH
- Chesapeake, VA
- Saint Paul, MN
- Toledo, OH
- Minneapolis, MN
- Newark, NJ
- Fort Wayne, IN
- Anchorage, AK
- Norfolk, VA
- Arlington, TX
Detailed list of the best cities for a machinist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cleveland, OH | $41,820 | $27,000 | 385,809 | 36 |
| 2 | Chesapeake, VA | $48,466 | $30,000 | 237,940 | 13 |
| 3 | Saint Paul, MN | $46,416 | $33,000 | 302,398 | 29 |
| 4 | Toledo, OH | $40,845 | $27,000 | 278,508 | 9 |
| 5 | Minneapolis, MN | $46,390 | $33,000 | 413,651 | 56 |
| 6 | Newark, NJ | $50,803 | $32,000 | 281,764 | 14 |
| 7 | Fort Wayne, IN | $41,478 | $28,000 | 264,488 | 10 |
| 8 | Anchorage, AK | $52,234 | $44,000 | 298,192 | 5 |
| 9 | Norfolk, VA | $48,696 | $31,000 | 245,115 | 9 |
| 10 | Arlington, TX | $41,488 | $30,000 | 392,772 | 7 |
| 11 | Fort Worth, TX | $41,511 | $30,000 | 854,113 | 21 |
| 12 | Louisville, KY | $40,394 | $28,000 | 597,337 | 23 |
| 13 | Pittsburgh, PA | $47,517 | $31,000 | 303,625 | 13 |
| 14 | Corpus Christi, TX | $42,594 | $30,000 | 325,733 | 2 |
| 15 | Portland, OR | $52,930 | $39,000 | 639,863 | 18 |
| 16 | Mesa, AZ | $41,055 | $29,000 | 484,587 | 15 |
| 17 | Houston, TX | $42,219 | $30,000 | 2,303,482 | 84 |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA | $42,759 | $30,000 | 391,495 | 5 |
| 19 | Lexington, KY | $40,681 | $28,000 | 318,449 | 5 |
| 20 | Albuquerque, NM | $50,889 | $37,000 | 559,277 | 5 |
| 21 | Indianapolis, IN | $39,594 | $27,000 | 855,164 | 36 |
| 22 | Winston-Salem, NC | $39,285 | $26,000 | 242,203 | 32 |
| 23 | Reno, NV | $47,855 | $34,000 | 245,255 | 3 |
| 24 | Henderson, NV | $45,955 | $32,000 | 292,969 | 1 |
| 25 | Columbus, OH | $39,967 | $26,000 | 860,090 | 26 |
| 26 | El Paso, TX | $44,159 | $32,000 | 683,080 | 2 |
| 27 | Cincinnati, OH | $38,135 | $26,000 | 298,800 | 16 |
| 28 | San Antonio, TX | $42,745 | $30,000 | 1,492,510 | 11 |
| 29 | Milwaukee, WI | $38,554 | $27,000 | 595,047 | 36 |
| 30 | Las Vegas, NV | $46,090 | $32,000 | 632,912 | 4 |
| 31 | Tucson, AZ | $40,901 | $29,000 | 530,706 | 12 |
| 32 | Baltimore, MD | $48,603 | $30,000 | 614,664 | 20 |
| 33 | Saint Louis, MO | $41,357 | $29,000 | 311,404 | 14 |
| 34 | Philadelphia, PA | $50,381 | $31,000 | 1,567,872 | 4 |
| 35 | Virginia Beach, VA | $48,817 | $31,000 | 452,602 | 2 |
| 36 | Kansas City, MO | $40,754 | $30,000 | 481,420 | 13 |
| 37 | Tulsa, OK | $36,142 | $26,000 | 403,090 | 21 |
| 38 | Seattle, WA | $52,534 | $39,000 | 704,352 | 17 |
| 39 | Detroit, MI | $40,286 | $27,000 | 672,795 | 8 |
| 40 | Wichita, KS | $37,960 | $28,000 | 389,902 | 11 |
| 41 | Boston, MA | $53,990 | $35,000 | 673,184 | 6 |
| 42 | Santa Ana, CA | $44,860 | $32,000 | 334,217 | 9 |
| 43 | Bakersfield, CA | $45,812 | $32,000 | 376,380 | 6 |
| 44 | North Las Vegas, NV | $45,967 | $32,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 45 | Jersey City, NJ | $50,828 | $32,000 | 264,152 | 1 |
| 46 | Stockton, CA | $47,193 | $33,000 | 307,072 | 4 |
| 47 | Colorado Springs, CO | $39,698 | $29,000 | 465,101 | 37 |
| 48 | Buffalo, NY | $44,783 | $29,000 | 256,902 | 7 |
| 49 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,174 | $29,000 | 1,615,017 | 20 |
| 50 | Memphis, TN | $36,970 | $26,000 | 652,717 | 8 |
Highest paying cities for machinists
| Rank | City | Avg. machinist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Eugene, OR | $53,096 |
| 2 | Seattle, WA | $52,534 |
| 3 | Newport News, VA | $48,799 |
| 4 | Fremont, CA | $47,571 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $46,751 |
| 6 | Brooklyn Park, MN | $46,425 |
| 7 | Portland, ME | $44,602 |
| 8 | West Fargo, ND | $44,380 |
| 9 | Houston, TX | $42,219 |
| 10 | Cleveland, OH | $41,820 |
| 11 | Saint Louis, MO | $41,357 |
| 12 | Phoenix, AZ | $41,174 |
| 13 | Richmond, IN | $40,354 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $40,305 |
| 15 | Fort Collins, CO | $39,827 |
| 16 | Grand Rapids, MI | $39,440 |
| 17 | Winston-Salem, NC | $39,285 |
| 18 | Appleton, WI | $39,105 |
| 19 | Knoxville, TN | $37,896 |
| 20 | Jacksonville, FL | $36,198 |
Machinist best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025