Best cities for a news reporter
The best cities for news reporters are New York, NY, Cleveland, OH, and Toledo, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for news reporters vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for news reporters in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a news reporter or considering a move, this list of the best cities for news reporters to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for news reporters. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a news reporter. While the absolute best city for news reporters is New York, NY, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for news reporters in 2024.
If you're looking for a news reporter job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for news reporters in 2025
1. New York, NY
Total news reporter jobs: 63 Average annual salary: $54,390 Lowest 10 percent warn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location quotient: 3.33 2. Cleveland, OH
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $45,682 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location quotient: 0.00 3. Toledo, OH
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $44,862 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $71,000 Location quotient: 0.00 4. Detroit, MI
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $46,824 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Columbus, OH
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $44,605 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. Cincinnati, OH
Total news reporter jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $42,881 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $66,000 Location quotient: 1.60 7. Lexington, KY
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $47,721 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000 Location quotient: 0.00 8. Louisville, KY
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $47,166 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $72,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. New Orleans, LA
Total news reporter jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $40,893 Lowest 10 percent warn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $63,000 Location quotient: 1.89 10. Philadelphia, PA
Total news reporter jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $45,508 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $74,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for news reporters
- New York, NY
- Cleveland, OH
- Toledo, OH
- Detroit, MI
- Columbus, OH
- Cincinnati, OH
- Lexington, KY
- Louisville, KY
- New Orleans, LA
- Philadelphia, PA
- (63 news reporter jobs)
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Detailed list of the best cities for a news reporter
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $54,390 | $33,000 | 8,537,673 | 63 |
| 2 | Cleveland, OH | $45,682 | $28,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 3 | Toledo, OH | $44,862 | $28,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 4 | Detroit, MI | $46,824 | $29,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 5 | Columbus, OH | $44,605 | $28,000 | 860,090 | - |
| 6 | Cincinnati, OH | $42,881 | $27,000 | 298,800 | 2 |
| 7 | Lexington, KY | $47,721 | $30,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 8 | Louisville, KY | $47,166 | $30,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 9 | New Orleans, LA | $40,893 | $26,000 | 391,495 | 1 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $45,508 | $27,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 11 | Kansas City, MO | $44,359 | $30,000 | 481,420 | 2 |
| 12 | Hempstead, NY | $54,437 | $33,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 13 | Winston-Salem, NC | $41,154 | $25,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 14 | Islip, NY | $54,353 | $33,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 15 | Oakland, CA | $48,657 | $29,000 | 420,005 | 3 |
| 16 | Nashville, TN | $41,687 | $27,000 | 660,388 | 1 |
| 17 | Oyster Bay, NY | $54,256 | $33,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 18 | Reno, NV | $40,990 | $25,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 19 | Brookhaven, NY | $54,178 | $33,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 20 | Charlotte, NC | $39,775 | $25,000 | 842,051 | 1 |
| 21 | Jersey City, NJ | $52,953 | $32,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 22 | Pittsburgh, PA | $44,039 | $27,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 23 | Newark, NJ | $52,922 | $32,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 24 | Durham, NC | $42,054 | $26,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 25 | Las Vegas, NV | $40,082 | $25,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 26 | Raleigh, NC | $42,022 | $26,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 27 | Henderson, NV | $40,033 | $25,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 28 | Seattle, WA | $44,392 | $29,000 | 704,352 | 7 |
| 29 | Greensboro, NC | $41,476 | $26,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 30 | Memphis, TN | $41,205 | $27,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 31 | North Las Vegas, NV | $39,986 | $25,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 32 | Saint Louis, MO | $45,694 | $30,000 | 311,404 | - |
| 33 | Boston, MA | $44,267 | $28,000 | 673,184 | 4 |
| 34 | Baltimore, MD | $48,777 | $29,000 | 614,664 | 1 |
| 35 | Buffalo, NY | $51,602 | $32,000 | 256,902 | - |
| 36 | Sacramento, CA | $47,864 | $29,000 | 495,234 | 2 |
| 37 | Oklahoma City, OK | $39,736 | $26,000 | 638,367 | - |
| 38 | Albuquerque, NM | $41,717 | $27,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 39 | Tulsa, OK | $39,595 | $26,000 | 403,090 | - |
| 40 | San Francisco, CA | $48,802 | $29,000 | 870,887 | 4 |
| 41 | Tucson, AZ | $39,588 | $25,000 | 530,706 | - |
| 42 | Glendale, AZ | $39,502 | $25,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 43 | Fort Wayne, IN | $37,628 | $24,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 44 | Chandler, AZ | $39,495 | $25,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 45 | Phoenix, AZ | $39,479 | $25,000 | 1,615,017 | 1 |
| 46 | Gilbert, AZ | $39,481 | $25,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 47 | Mesa, AZ | $39,458 | $25,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 48 | Scottsdale, AZ | $39,420 | $25,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 49 | Fremont, CA | $48,488 | $29,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 50 | Miami, FL | $40,293 | $25,000 | 453,579 | - |
Highest paying cities for news reporters
| Rank | City | Avg. news reporter salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New York, NY | $54,390 |
| 2 | Edison, NJ | $53,145 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $48,777 |
| 4 | Burlingame, CA | $48,768 |
| 5 | Washington, DC | $48,093 |
| 6 | Columbus, OH | $44,605 |
| 7 | State College, PA | $44,600 |
| 8 | Seattle, WA | $44,392 |
| 9 | Boston, MA | $44,267 |
| 10 | Arlington, VA | $43,555 |
| 11 | Knoxville, TN | $42,573 |
| 12 | Fayetteville, AR | $40,135 |
| 13 | Pensacola, FL | $39,902 |
| 14 | Duluth, GA | $39,139 |
| 15 | Glenview, IL | $38,987 |
| 16 | Saint Paul, MN | $38,941 |
| 17 | McAllen, TX | $37,985 |
| 18 | Des Moines, IA | $37,786 |
| 19 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $36,813 |
| 20 | Colorado Springs, CO | $35,442 |
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Updated January 8, 2025