Best cities for a mental health worker
The best cities for mental health workers are Reno, NV, Stockton, CA, and Jersey City, NJ, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for mental health workers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for mental health workers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a mental health worker or considering a move, this list of the best cities for mental health workers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for mental health workers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a mental health worker. While the absolute best city for mental health workers is Reno, NV, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for mental health workers in 2024.
If you're looking for a mental health worker job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for mental health workers in 2025
1. Reno, NV
Total mental health worker jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $47,043 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location quotient: 1.40 2. Stockton, CA
Total mental health worker jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $55,136 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000 Location quotient: 1.98 3. Jersey City, NJ
Total mental health worker jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $52,427 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location quotient: 1.18 4. Oakland, CA
Total mental health worker jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $55,878 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location quotient: 1.47 5. Bakersfield, CA
Total mental health worker jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $54,417 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000 Location quotient: 3.88 6. New York, NY
Total mental health worker jobs: 64 Average annual salary: $53,496 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location quotient: 0.69 7. Newark, NJ
Total mental health worker jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $52,382 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Location quotient: 0.91 8. Sacramento, CA
Total mental health worker jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $54,650 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location quotient: 1.35 9. Anaheim, CA
Total mental health worker jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $52,821 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $80,000 Location quotient: 6.93 10. Long Beach, CA
Total mental health worker jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $52,945 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location quotient: 2.30
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Best cities for mental health workers
- Reno, NV
- Stockton, CA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Oakland, CA
- Bakersfield, CA
- New York, NY
- Newark, NJ
- Sacramento, CA
- Anaheim, CA
- Long Beach, CA
- (3 mental health worker jobs)
- (2 mental health worker jobs)
- (11 mental health worker jobs)
- (4 mental health worker jobs)
- (5 mental health worker jobs)
- (64 mental health worker jobs)
- (3 mental health worker jobs)
- (8 mental health worker jobs)
- (10 mental health worker jobs)
- (4 mental health worker jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a mental health worker
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reno, NV | $47,043 | $30,000 | 245,255 | 3 |
| 2 | Stockton, CA | $55,136 | $35,000 | 307,072 | 2 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $52,427 | $35,000 | 264,152 | 11 |
| 4 | Oakland, CA | $55,878 | $35,000 | 420,005 | 4 |
| 5 | Bakersfield, CA | $54,417 | $35,000 | 376,380 | 5 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $53,496 | $35,000 | 8,537,673 | 64 |
| 7 | Newark, NJ | $52,382 | $35,000 | 281,764 | 3 |
| 8 | Sacramento, CA | $54,650 | $34,000 | 495,234 | 8 |
| 9 | Anaheim, CA | $52,821 | $34,000 | 351,043 | 10 |
| 10 | Long Beach, CA | $52,945 | $34,000 | 470,130 | 4 |
| 11 | Los Angeles, CA | $53,257 | $34,000 | 3,976,322 | 44 |
| 12 | San Francisco, CA | $56,001 | $35,000 | 870,887 | 12 |
| 13 | San Jose, CA | $55,980 | $35,000 | 1,025,350 | 7 |
| 14 | Hempstead, NY | $53,578 | $35,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 15 | Islip, NY | $53,505 | $35,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 16 | Oyster Bay, NY | $53,355 | $35,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 17 | Riverside, CA | $52,548 | $34,000 | 324,722 | 2 |
| 18 | Fremont, CA | $55,891 | $35,000 | 233,136 | 1 |
| 19 | Brookhaven, NY | $53,301 | $35,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 20 | Chula Vista, CA | $51,436 | $33,000 | 267,172 | 8 |
| 21 | Las Vegas, NV | $46,704 | $30,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 22 | Henderson, NV | $46,597 | $30,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 23 | North Las Vegas, NV | $46,570 | $30,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 24 | Fresno, CA | $54,976 | $35,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 25 | Seattle, WA | $48,527 | $34,000 | 704,352 | 7 |
| 26 | El Paso, TX | $42,247 | $28,000 | 683,080 | 1 |
| 27 | San Diego, CA | $51,592 | $33,000 | 1,406,630 | 13 |
| 28 | Raleigh, NC | $43,477 | $29,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 29 | Minneapolis, MN | $39,564 | $29,000 | 413,651 | 18 |
| 30 | Durham, NC | $43,554 | $30,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 31 | Greensboro, NC | $43,282 | $29,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 32 | Winston-Salem, NC | $43,135 | $29,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 33 | Charlotte, NC | $42,550 | $29,000 | 842,051 | - |
| 34 | Santa Ana, CA | $52,732 | $34,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 35 | Irvine, CA | $52,625 | $34,000 | 266,122 | - |
| 36 | Saint Paul, MN | $39,591 | $29,000 | 302,398 | 5 |
| 37 | Buffalo, NY | $49,374 | $34,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 38 | Austin, TX | $41,513 | $27,000 | 947,890 | 2 |
| 39 | Laredo, TX | $41,826 | $28,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 40 | San Antonio, TX | $41,790 | $28,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 41 | Houston, TX | $41,451 | $27,000 | 2,303,482 | - |
| 42 | Dallas, TX | $39,652 | $27,000 | 1,317,929 | 3 |
| 43 | Corpus Christi, TX | $41,747 | $28,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 44 | Lubbock, TX | $40,499 | $27,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 45 | Washington, DC | $51,005 | $34,000 | 681,170 | 2 |
| 46 | Fort Worth, TX | $39,837 | $27,000 | 854,113 | - |
| 47 | Milwaukee, WI | $37,300 | $26,000 | 595,047 | 2 |
| 48 | Arlington, TX | $39,814 | $27,000 | 392,772 | - |
| 49 | Portland, OR | $41,311 | $28,000 | 639,863 | 4 |
| 50 | Irving, TX | $39,611 | $27,000 | 238,289 | - |
Highest paying cities for mental health workers
| Rank | City | Avg. mental health worker salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $56,001 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $53,496 |
| 3 | Elizabeth, NJ | $52,471 |
| 4 | San Antonio, TX | $41,790 |
| 5 | Burnsville, MN | $39,680 |
| 6 | Bangor, ME | $38,412 |
| 7 | Providence, RI | $38,248 |
| 8 | Chicago, IL | $37,817 |
| 9 | Taunton, MA | $36,936 |
| 10 | Lakewood, CO | $35,144 |
| 11 | Muskegon, MI | $34,688 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $33,278 |
| 13 | Billings, MT | $27,908 |
Mental health worker best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025