Best cities for a visual artist
The best cities for visual artists are Oakland, CA, San Francisco, CA, and Sacramento, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for visual artists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for visual artists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a visual artist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for visual artists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for visual artists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a visual artist. While the absolute best city for visual artists is Oakland, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for visual artists in 2024.
If you're looking for a visual artist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for visual artists in 2026
1. Oakland, CA
Total visual artist jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $115,819 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 29.86 2. San Francisco, CA
Total visual artist jobs: 10 Average annual salary: $116,008 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $190,000 Location quotient: 14.27 3. Sacramento, CA
Total visual artist jobs: 3 Average annual salary: $115,103 Lowest 10 percent warn: $69,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 20.54 4. Reno, NV
Total visual artist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $144,410 Lowest 10 percent warn: $87,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $238,000 Location quotient: 0.00 5. Las Vegas, NV
Total visual artist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $134,717 Lowest 10 percent warn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $222,000 Location quotient: 0.00 6. North Las Vegas, NV
Total visual artist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $134,442 Lowest 10 percent warn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $222,000 Location quotient: 0.00 7. Los Angeles, CA
Total visual artist jobs: 23 Average annual salary: $102,883 Lowest 10 percent warn: $62,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $169,000 Location quotient: 38.29 8. Henderson, NV
Total visual artist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $133,371 Lowest 10 percent warn: $80,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $220,000 Location quotient: 0.00 9. Fremont, CA
Total visual artist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $115,500 Lowest 10 percent warn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $189,000 Location quotient: 0.00 10. Seattle, WA
Total visual artist jobs: 0 Average annual salary: $104,631 Lowest 10 percent warn: $63,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $173,000 Location quotient: 0.00
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Best cities for visual artists
- Oakland, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- Reno, NV
- Las Vegas, NV
- North Las Vegas, NV
- Los Angeles, CA
- Henderson, NV
- Fremont, CA
- Seattle, WA
- (2 visual artist jobs)
- (10 visual artist jobs)
- (3 visual artist jobs)
- (0 visual artist jobs)
- (0 visual artist jobs)
- (0 visual artist jobs)
- (23 visual artist jobs)
- (0 visual artist jobs)
- (0 visual artist jobs)
- (0 visual artist jobs)
Detailed list of the best cities for a visual artist
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $115,819 | $70,000 | 420,005 | 2 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $116,008 | $70,000 | 870,887 | 10 |
| 3 | Sacramento, CA | $115,103 | $69,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 4 | Reno, NV | $144,410 | $87,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 5 | Las Vegas, NV | $134,717 | $81,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 6 | North Las Vegas, NV | $134,442 | $81,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 7 | Los Angeles, CA | $102,883 | $62,000 | 3,976,322 | 23 |
| 8 | Henderson, NV | $133,371 | $80,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 9 | Fremont, CA | $115,500 | $70,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 10 | Seattle, WA | $104,631 | $63,000 | 704,352 | - |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $100,345 | $61,000 | 266,122 | 6 |
| 12 | San Jose, CA | $115,303 | $70,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 13 | Stockton, CA | $115,011 | $69,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 14 | Fresno, CA | $112,869 | $68,000 | 522,053 | - |
| 15 | Long Beach, CA | $101,481 | $61,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 16 | Bakersfield, CA | $108,707 | $65,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 17 | Anaheim, CA | $101,243 | $61,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 18 | Santa Ana, CA | $100,792 | $61,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 19 | Washington, DC | $106,495 | $64,000 | 681,170 | - |
| 20 | Riverside, CA | $100,689 | $61,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 21 | Detroit, MI | $76,212 | $45,000 | 672,795 | - |
| 22 | Fort Wayne, IN | $72,781 | $43,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 23 | Albuquerque, NM | $80,044 | $48,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 24 | Raleigh, NC | $76,267 | $45,000 | 458,880 | 1 |
| 25 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,766 | $47,000 | 1,567,872 | - |
| 26 | Winston-Salem, NC | $74,495 | $43,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 27 | Durham, NC | $76,301 | $45,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 28 | San Diego, CA | $96,222 | $58,000 | 1,406,630 | - |
| 29 | Wichita, KS | $71,449 | $43,000 | 389,902 | - |
| 30 | Chula Vista, CA | $95,687 | $58,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 31 | Baltimore, MD | $92,843 | $56,000 | 614,664 | - |
| 32 | Chicago, IL | $80,222 | $48,000 | 2,704,958 | 5 |
| 33 | Pittsburgh, PA | $74,121 | $44,000 | 303,625 | - |
| 34 | Greensboro, NC | $75,107 | $44,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 35 | New York, NY | $82,450 | $50,000 | 8,537,673 | 19 |
| 36 | Portland, OR | $81,599 | $49,000 | 639,863 | - |
| 37 | Glendale, AZ | $71,532 | $43,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 38 | Charlotte, NC | $71,746 | $42,000 | 842,051 | - |
| 39 | Phoenix, AZ | $71,471 | $43,000 | 1,615,017 | - |
| 40 | Indianapolis, IN | $69,605 | $41,000 | 855,164 | - |
| 41 | Brookhaven, NY | $83,123 | $51,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 42 | Scottsdale, AZ | $71,361 | $43,000 | 246,645 | - |
| 43 | Islip, NY | $82,940 | $51,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 44 | Oyster Bay, NY | $82,782 | $50,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 45 | Chandler, AZ | $70,939 | $43,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 46 | Hempstead, NY | $82,642 | $50,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 47 | Mesa, AZ | $70,915 | $43,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 48 | Gilbert, AZ | $70,851 | $43,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 49 | Memphis, TN | $65,256 | $39,000 | 652,717 | - |
| 50 | Lexington, KY | $66,494 | $39,000 | 318,449 | - |
Highest paying cities for visual artists
| Rank | City | Avg. visual artist salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sparks, NV | $144,259 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $116,008 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $106,495 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $104,631 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $82,450 |
| 6 | Chicago, IL | $80,222 |
| 7 | Philadelphia, PA | $77,766 |
| 8 | Sarasota, FL | $56,221 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $54,536 |
| 10 | Minneapolis, MN | $54,337 |
| 11 | Boston, MA | $54,066 |
| 12 | Atlanta, GA | $50,415 |
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Updated January 8, 2025