Best cities for a public safety dispatcher
The best cities for public safety dispatchers are Reno, NV, Long Beach, CA, and Pittsburgh, PA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for public safety dispatchers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for public safety dispatchers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a public safety dispatcher or considering a move, this list of the best cities for public safety dispatchers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for public safety dispatchers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a public safety dispatcher. While the absolute best city for public safety dispatchers is Reno, NV, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for public safety dispatchers in 2024.
If you're looking for a public safety dispatcher job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for public safety dispatchers in 2026
1. Reno, NV
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $37,916 Lowest 10 percent warn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location quotient: 10.46 2. Long Beach, CA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 7 Average annual salary: $44,909 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 15.04 3. Pittsburgh, PA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $49,752 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Location quotient: 0.87 4. Bakersfield, CA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $46,921 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $67,000 Location quotient: 11.61 5. San Jose, CA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $49,496 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location quotient: 1.85 6. San Francisco, CA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $49,846 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location quotient: 0.66 7. Irvine, CA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 24 Average annual salary: $44,629 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 11.53 8. Riverside, CA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 1 Average annual salary: $44,691 Lowest 10 percent warn: $31,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $64,000 Location quotient: 2.19 9. Las Vegas, NV
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $35,692 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Location quotient: 5.57 10. Philadelphia, PA
Total public safety dispatcher jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $50,740 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for public safety dispatchers
- Reno, NV
- Long Beach, CA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Bakersfield, CA
- San Jose, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Irvine, CA
- Riverside, CA
- Las Vegas, NV
- Philadelphia, PA
- (6 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (7 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (2 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (4 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (10 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (5 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (24 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (1 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (10 public safety dispatcher jobs)
- (0 public safety dispatcher jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a public safety dispatcher
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reno, NV | $37,916 | $27,000 | 245,255 | 6 |
| 2 | Long Beach, CA | $44,909 | $31,000 | 470,130 | 7 |
| 3 | Pittsburgh, PA | $49,752 | $35,000 | 303,625 | 2 |
| 4 | Bakersfield, CA | $46,921 | $32,000 | 376,380 | 4 |
| 5 | San Jose, CA | $49,496 | $34,000 | 1,025,350 | 10 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $49,846 | $35,000 | 870,887 | 5 |
| 7 | Irvine, CA | $44,629 | $30,000 | 266,122 | 24 |
| 8 | Riverside, CA | $44,691 | $31,000 | 324,722 | 1 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $35,692 | $25,000 | 632,912 | 10 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $50,740 | $36,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 11 | Oakland, CA | $49,753 | $35,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 12 | Fremont, CA | $49,601 | $35,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $44,117 | $33,000 | 413,651 | - |
| 14 | Wichita, KS | $37,433 | $27,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 15 | Saint Paul, MN | $44,109 | $33,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $33,629 | $24,000 | 446,970 | 8 |
| 17 | Sacramento, CA | $49,404 | $35,000 | 495,234 | - |
| 18 | Stockton, CA | $49,354 | $35,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 19 | Denver, CO | $36,982 | $27,000 | 693,060 | 10 |
| 20 | Los Angeles, CA | $45,262 | $31,000 | 3,976,322 | 3 |
| 21 | Buffalo, NY | $37,249 | $27,000 | 256,902 | 2 |
| 22 | Milwaukee, WI | $38,420 | $28,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 23 | Madison, WI | $38,245 | $28,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 24 | Fresno, CA | $48,320 | $34,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 25 | Detroit, MI | $34,400 | $25,000 | 672,795 | 1 |
| 26 | Anaheim, CA | $44,843 | $31,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 27 | Colorado Springs, CO | $36,410 | $26,000 | 465,101 | 8 |
| 28 | Santa Ana, CA | $44,736 | $31,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 29 | Seattle, WA | $42,019 | $32,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 30 | Boston, MA | $38,081 | $29,000 | 673,184 | 5 |
| 31 | San Diego, CA | $43,505 | $30,000 | 1,406,630 | 3 |
| 32 | Mesa, AZ | $31,047 | $21,000 | 484,587 | 5 |
| 33 | North Las Vegas, NV | $35,646 | $25,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 34 | Aurora, CO | $36,937 | $27,000 | 361,710 | - |
| 35 | Henderson, NV | $35,515 | $25,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 36 | Portland, OR | $35,912 | $27,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 37 | Chula Vista, CA | $43,310 | $29,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 38 | Newark, NJ | $36,978 | $27,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 39 | Anchorage, AK | $36,669 | $31,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 40 | Fort Wayne, IN | $32,504 | $23,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 41 | Jersey City, NJ | $36,977 | $27,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 42 | Scottsdale, AZ | $31,264 | $21,000 | 246,645 | 1 |
| 43 | Lubbock, TX | $30,311 | $21,000 | 252,506 | 1 |
| 44 | Garland, TX | $29,119 | $20,000 | 234,943 | 11 |
| 45 | Brookhaven, NY | $37,052 | $27,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 46 | Lincoln, NE | $33,186 | $24,000 | 280,364 | - |
| 47 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,250 | $21,000 | 1,615,017 | 7 |
| 48 | Oyster Bay, NY | $37,033 | $27,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 49 | New York, NY | $36,968 | $27,000 | 8,537,673 | 7 |
| 50 | Islip, NY | $37,018 | $27,000 | 335,543 | - |
Highest paying cities for public safety dispatchers
| Rank | City | Avg. public safety dispatcher salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $49,781 |
| 2 | Rochester, MN | $43,506 |
| 3 | Morgantown, WV | $43,026 |
| 4 | Dover, NH | $40,284 |
| 5 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $38,129 |
| 6 | Framingham, MA | $38,105 |
| 7 | Rochester, NY | $37,241 |
| 8 | Denver, CO | $36,982 |
| 9 | Las Vegas, NV | $35,692 |
| 10 | Bowie, MD | $33,782 |
| 11 | Omaha, NE | $33,629 |
| 12 | Fort Wayne, IN | $32,504 |
| 13 | Lake Havasu City, AZ | $32,456 |
| 14 | Meridian, ID | $31,635 |
| 15 | Logan, UT | $29,957 |
| 16 | Lewisville, TX | $29,221 |
| 17 | Fort Myers, FL | $25,606 |
| 18 | Edmond, OK | $24,759 |
| 19 | Little Rock, AR | $19,500 |
Public safety dispatcher best cities FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025