Best cities for a writer and editor
The best cities for writer and editors are Washington, DC, Chesapeake, VA, and New York, NY, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for writer and editors vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for writer and editors in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a writer and editor or considering a move, this list of the best cities for writer and editors to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for writer and editors. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a writer and editor. While the absolute best city for writer and editors is Washington, DC, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for writer and editors in 2024.
If you're looking for a writer and editor job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for writer and editors in 2025
1. Washington, DC
Writer and editor jobs in WashingtonTotal writer and editor jobs: 53 Average annual salary: $100,149 Lowest 10 percent warn: $55,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $182,000 Location quotient: 23.33 2. Chesapeake, VA
Writer and editor jobs in ChesapeakeTotal writer and editor jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $78,401 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $143,000 Location quotient: 19.02 3. New York, NY
Writer and editor jobs in New YorkTotal writer and editor jobs: 70 Average annual salary: $78,545 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $141,000 Location quotient: 5.42 4. Buffalo, NY
Writer and editor jobs in BuffaloTotal writer and editor jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $76,012 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $137,000 Location quotient: 4.96 5. Pittsburgh, PA
Writer and editor jobs in PittsburghTotal writer and editor jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $59,588 Lowest 10 percent warn: $32,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location quotient: 3.36 6. Jersey City, NJ
Writer and editor jobs in Jersey CityTotal writer and editor jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $82,644 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $148,000 Location quotient: 1.54 7. Detroit, MI
Writer and editor jobs in DetroitTotal writer and editor jobs: 2 Average annual salary: $62,688 Lowest 10 percent warn: $34,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location quotient: 2.40 8. Boston, MA
Writer and editor jobs in BostonTotal writer and editor jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $72,042 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location quotient: 3.19 9. Baltimore, MD
Writer and editor jobs in BaltimoreTotal writer and editor jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $68,918 Lowest 10 percent warn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $125,000 Location quotient: 3.30 10. Chicago, IL
Writer and editor jobs in ChicagoTotal writer and editor jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $71,094 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location quotient: 2.05
Choose from 10+ customizable writer and editor resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use writer and editor resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your writer and editor resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for writer and editors
- Washington, DC
- Chesapeake, VA
- New York, NY
- Buffalo, NY
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Jersey City, NJ
- Detroit, MI
- Boston, MA
- Baltimore, MD
- Chicago, IL
Detailed list of the best cities for a writer and editor
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $100,149 | $55,000 | 681,170 | 53 |
| 2 | Chesapeake, VA | $78,401 | $42,000 | 237,940 | 2 |
| 3 | New York, NY | $78,545 | $43,000 | 8,537,673 | 70 |
| 4 | Buffalo, NY | $76,012 | $42,000 | 256,902 | 2 |
| 5 | Pittsburgh, PA | $59,588 | $32,000 | 303,625 | 4 |
| 6 | Jersey City, NJ | $82,644 | $45,000 | 264,152 | 2 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $62,688 | $34,000 | 672,795 | 2 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $72,042 | $40,000 | 673,184 | 9 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $68,918 | $37,000 | 614,664 | 4 |
| 10 | Chicago, IL | $71,094 | $39,000 | 2,704,958 | 8 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $62,733 | $34,000 | 1,567,872 | 4 |
| 12 | Virginia Beach, VA | $79,092 | $43,000 | 452,602 | - |
| 13 | Sacramento, CA | $69,801 | $37,000 | 495,234 | 3 |
| 14 | Norfolk, VA | $78,934 | $43,000 | 245,115 | - |
| 15 | Newark, NJ | $82,596 | $45,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 16 | Islip, NY | $78,886 | $43,000 | 335,543 | - |
| 17 | Oyster Bay, NY | $78,755 | $43,000 | 293,214 | - |
| 18 | San Francisco, CA | $70,626 | $37,000 | 870,887 | 9 |
| 19 | Hempstead, NY | $78,692 | $43,000 | 759,757 | - |
| 20 | Seattle, WA | $72,083 | $39,000 | 704,352 | 5 |
| 21 | Brookhaven, NY | $78,966 | $44,000 | 486,040 | - |
| 22 | Lexington, KY | $60,049 | $32,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 23 | Portland, OR | $58,515 | $32,000 | 639,863 | 4 |
| 24 | Louisville, KY | $59,357 | $32,000 | 597,337 | - |
| 25 | Toledo, OH | $53,598 | $29,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 26 | Cleveland, OH | $54,940 | $30,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 27 | Reno, NV | $57,355 | $30,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 28 | Columbus, OH | $52,280 | $28,000 | 860,090 | 2 |
| 29 | Tucson, AZ | $48,592 | $27,000 | 530,706 | 3 |
| 30 | Saint Paul, MN | $59,197 | $32,000 | 302,398 | - |
| 31 | Minneapolis, MN | $59,138 | $32,000 | 413,651 | 1 |
| 32 | Oakland, CA | $70,395 | $37,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 33 | Atlanta, GA | $50,574 | $28,000 | 472,522 | 9 |
| 34 | Raleigh, NC | $55,472 | $29,000 | 458,880 | - |
| 35 | Fremont, CA | $69,864 | $36,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 36 | Durham, NC | $55,623 | $30,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 37 | Greensboro, NC | $54,802 | $29,000 | 287,027 | - |
| 38 | Milwaukee, WI | $53,980 | $29,000 | 595,047 | - |
| 39 | El Paso, TX | $47,039 | $26,000 | 683,080 | 3 |
| 40 | Winston-Salem, NC | $54,324 | $29,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 41 | Stockton, CA | $69,508 | $36,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 42 | Madison, WI | $53,339 | $29,000 | 252,551 | - |
| 43 | San Jose, CA | $69,471 | $36,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 44 | Cincinnati, OH | $50,240 | $27,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 45 | Nashville, TN | $47,850 | $26,000 | 660,388 | 2 |
| 46 | Irvine, CA | $57,301 | $31,000 | 266,122 | 6 |
| 47 | Las Vegas, NV | $53,282 | $28,000 | 632,912 | - |
| 48 | Charlotte, NC | $51,505 | $28,000 | 842,051 | 2 |
| 49 | Indianapolis, IN | $47,934 | $26,000 | 855,164 | 3 |
| 50 | North Las Vegas, NV | $53,206 | $28,000 | 238,702 | - |
Highest paying cities for writer and editors
| Rank | City | Avg. writer and editor salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington, DC | $100,149 |
| 2 | Jersey City, NJ | $82,644 |
| 3 | Reston, VA | $82,611 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $78,545 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $72,083 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $72,042 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $71,094 |
| 8 | San Francisco, CA | $70,626 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $68,918 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $67,211 |
| 11 | Philadelphia, PA | $62,733 |
| 12 | Waterford, MI | $62,631 |
| 13 | Portland, OR | $58,515 |
| 14 | Columbus, OH | $52,280 |
| 15 | Boulder, CO | $51,937 |
| 16 | Charlotte, NC | $51,505 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $50,574 |
| 18 | Phoenix, AZ | $49,738 |
| 19 | Indianapolis, IN | $47,934 |
| 20 | El Paso, TX | $47,039 |
Writer and editor best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for writer and editor jobs
Updated January 8, 2025