Best cities for a musician
The best cities for musicians are Anchorage, AK, Fresno, CA, and New York, NY, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for musicians vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for musicians in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a musician or considering a move, this list of the best cities for musicians to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for musicians. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a musician. While the absolute best city for musicians is Anchorage, AK, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for musicians in 2024.
If you're looking for a musician job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for musicians in 2025
1. Anchorage, AK
Total musician jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $85,730 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location quotient: 3.58 2. Fresno, CA
Total musician jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $81,184 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $186,000 Location quotient: 6.48 3. New York, NY
Total musician jobs: 22 Average annual salary: $88,795 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location quotient: 1.22 4. Brookhaven, NY
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $89,191 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $201,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Islip, NY
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $89,122 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $200,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Oyster Bay, NY
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $89,038 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $200,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. San Francisco, CA
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $83,616 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $194,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Hempstead, NY
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $88,940 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $199,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Oakland, CA
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $83,375 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Fremont, CA
Total musician jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $83,169 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $193,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for musicians
- Anchorage, AK
- Fresno, CA
- New York, NY
- Brookhaven, NY
- Islip, NY
- Oyster Bay, NY
- San Francisco, CA
- Hempstead, NY
- Oakland, CA
- Fremont, CA
- (1 musician jobs)
- (2 musician jobs)
- (22 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
- (0 musician jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a musician
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anchorage, AK | $85,730 | $40,000 | 298,192 | 1 |
| 2 | Fresno, CA | $81,184 | $35,000 | 522,053 | 2 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $88,795 | $39,000 | 8,537,673 | 22 |
| 4 | Brookhaven, NY | $89,191 | $39,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 5 | Islip, NY | $89,122 | $39,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 6 | Oyster Bay, NY | $89,038 | $39,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 7 | San Francisco, CA | $83,616 | $35,000 | 870,887 | - |
| 8 | Hempstead, NY | $88,940 | $39,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 9 | Oakland, CA | $83,375 | $35,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 10 | Fremont, CA | $83,169 | $35,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 11 | San Jose, CA | $83,132 | $35,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 12 | Buffalo, NY | $86,340 | $39,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 13 | Stockton, CA | $82,135 | $35,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 14 | Irvine, CA | $79,189 | $35,000 | 266,122 | 4 |
| 15 | Jersey City, NJ | $85,954 | $38,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 16 | Newark, NJ | $85,912 | $38,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 17 | Bakersfield, CA | $80,733 | $35,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 18 | Cleveland, OH | $64,899 | $30,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 19 | Glendale, AZ | $58,202 | $26,000 | 245,895 | 1 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $79,880 | $35,000 | 3,976,322 | - |
| 21 | Long Beach, CA | $79,575 | $35,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 22 | Anaheim, CA | $79,368 | $35,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 23 | Philadelphia, PA | $66,109 | $29,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 24 | Santa Ana, CA | $79,298 | $35,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 25 | Detroit, MI | $65,366 | $31,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 26 | Riverside, CA | $78,927 | $35,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 27 | Toledo, OH | $62,325 | $30,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $78,243 | $35,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 29 | Chula Vista, CA | $78,076 | $35,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 30 | Sacramento, CA | $81,253 | $34,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 31 | Cincinnati, OH | $55,549 | $26,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 32 | Fort Wayne, IN | $55,319 | $26,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 33 | Albuquerque, NM | $57,579 | $26,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 34 | Chicago, IL | $68,738 | $33,000 | 2,704,958 | - |
| 35 | Pittsburgh, PA | $61,877 | $28,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 36 | Phoenix, AZ | $58,141 | $26,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 37 | Chandler, AZ | $58,031 | $26,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 38 | Scottsdale, AZ | $57,981 | $26,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 39 | Columbus, OH | $59,489 | $28,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 40 | Gilbert, AZ | $57,979 | $26,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 41 | Lexington, KY | $53,970 | $25,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 42 | Mesa, AZ | $57,955 | $26,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 43 | Tucson, AZ | $57,639 | $26,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 44 | Wichita, KS | $58,596 | $28,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 45 | El Paso, TX | $55,858 | $26,000 | 683,080 | - |
| 46 | Milwaukee, WI | $55,607 | $27,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 47 | Madison, WI | $54,098 | $26,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 48 | Durham, NC | $54,007 | $25,000 | 263,016 | 1 |
| 49 | Louisville, KY | $53,147 | $25,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 50 | Nashville, TN | $51,594 | $24,000 | 660,388 | - |
Highest paying cities for musicians
| Rank | City | Avg. musician salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $88,795 |
| 2 | Anchorage, AK | $85,730 |
| 3 | Rohnert Park, CA | $83,504 |
| 4 | Cleveland, OH | $64,899 |
| 5 | Ann Arbor, MI | $64,258 |
| 6 | Arlington, VA | $62,875 |
| 7 | Springfield, MA | $61,302 |
| 8 | Baltimore, MD | $59,069 |
| 9 | Milwaukee, WI | $55,607 |
| 10 | Providence, RI | $54,543 |
| 11 | San Antonio, TX | $53,822 |
| 12 | Jacksonville, NC | $53,753 |
| 13 | Brooklyn Center, MN | $53,269 |
| 14 | Washington, DC | $51,524 |
| 15 | Hattiesburg, MS | $50,986 |
| 16 | Boca Raton, FL | $48,834 |
| 17 | Las Vegas, NV | $48,387 |
| 18 | Montgomery, AL | $47,518 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $46,815 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $40,460 |
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Updated January 8, 2025