Best cities for a writer
The best cities for writers are Fresno, CA, Sacramento, CA, and San Francisco, CA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for writers vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for writers in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a writer or considering a move, this list of the best cities for writers to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for writers. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a writer. While the absolute best city for writers is Fresno, CA, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for writers in 2024.
If you're looking for a writer job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for writers in 2025
1. Fresno, CA
Total writer jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $88,980 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location quotient: 3.25 2. Sacramento, CA
Writer jobs in SacramentoTotal writer jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $89,101 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $153,000 Location quotient: 2.79 3. San Francisco, CA
Writer jobs in San FranciscoTotal writer jobs: 51 Average annual salary: $91,310 Lowest 10 percent warn: $52,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $159,000 Location quotient: 1.85 4. Boston, MA
Writer jobs in BostonTotal writer jobs: 35 Average annual salary: $90,878 Lowest 10 percent warn: $53,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $155,000 Location quotient: 1.78 5. Los Angeles, CA
Writer jobs in Los AngelesTotal writer jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $84,910 Lowest 10 percent warn: $49,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location quotient: 3.10 6. Philadelphia, PA
Writer jobs in PhiladelphiaTotal writer jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $72,462 Lowest 10 percent warn: $42,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 1.28 7. Washington, DC
Writer jobs in WashingtonTotal writer jobs: 36 Average annual salary: $87,474 Lowest 10 percent warn: $51,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $147,000 Location quotient: 2.27 8. Raleigh, NC
Writer jobs in RaleighTotal writer jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $68,626 Lowest 10 percent warn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $116,000 Location quotient: 1.26 9. Nashville, TN
Writer jobs in NashvilleTotal writer jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $60,537 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location quotient: 2.36 10. Pittsburgh, PA
Writer jobs in PittsburghTotal writer jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $70,172 Lowest 10 percent warn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $119,000 Location quotient: 0.96
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Best cities for writers
- Fresno, CA
- Sacramento, CA
- San Francisco, CA
- Boston, MA
- Los Angeles, CA
- Philadelphia, PA
- Washington, DC
- Raleigh, NC
- Nashville, TN
- Pittsburgh, PA
Detailed list of the best cities for a writer
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresno, CA | $88,980 | $51,000 | 522,053 | 5 |
| 2 | Sacramento, CA | $89,101 | $51,000 | 495,234 | 16 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $91,310 | $52,000 | 870,887 | 51 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $90,878 | $53,000 | 673,184 | 35 |
| 5 | Los Angeles, CA | $84,910 | $49,000 | 3,976,322 | 73 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $72,462 | $42,000 | 1,567,872 | 17 |
| 7 | Washington, DC | $87,474 | $51,000 | 681,170 | 36 |
| 8 | Raleigh, NC | $68,626 | $40,000 | 458,880 | 9 |
| 9 | Nashville, TN | $60,537 | $35,000 | 660,388 | 17 |
| 10 | Pittsburgh, PA | $70,172 | $41,000 | 303,625 | 8 |
| 11 | Irvine, CA | $83,875 | $48,000 | 266,122 | 13 |
| 12 | Seattle, WA | $80,716 | $47,000 | 704,352 | 22 |
| 13 | New York, NY | $73,334 | $42,000 | 8,537,673 | 235 |
| 14 | Greensboro, NC | $67,978 | $40,000 | 287,027 | 2 |
| 15 | San Diego, CA | $81,863 | $47,000 | 1,406,630 | 22 |
| 16 | San Jose, CA | $90,943 | $52,000 | 1,025,350 | 10 |
| 17 | Virginia Beach, VA | $65,433 | $38,000 | 452,602 | 8 |
| 18 | Charlotte, NC | $65,311 | $38,000 | 842,051 | 16 |
| 19 | Chicago, IL | $70,640 | $41,000 | 2,704,958 | 27 |
| 20 | Reno, NV | $62,855 | $37,000 | 245,255 | 3 |
| 21 | Madison, WI | $58,789 | $34,000 | 252,551 | 9 |
| 22 | Lubbock, TX | $57,103 | $34,000 | 252,506 | 3 |
| 23 | Oakland, CA | $91,075 | $52,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 24 | Indianapolis, IN | $61,386 | $36,000 | 855,164 | 12 |
| 25 | Fremont, CA | $90,943 | $52,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 26 | Columbus, OH | $56,695 | $33,000 | 860,090 | 15 |
| 27 | Saint Paul, MN | $64,928 | $38,000 | 302,398 | 6 |
| 28 | Stockton, CA | $89,780 | $51,000 | 307,072 | - |
| 29 | Henderson, NV | $60,504 | $35,000 | 292,969 | 1 |
| 30 | Durham, NC | $68,718 | $40,000 | 263,016 | - |
| 31 | Bakersfield, CA | $87,407 | $50,000 | 376,380 | - |
| 32 | Long Beach, CA | $84,329 | $49,000 | 470,130 | - |
| 33 | Anaheim, CA | $84,228 | $49,000 | 351,043 | - |
| 34 | Winston-Salem, NC | $67,557 | $39,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 35 | Milwaukee, WI | $59,121 | $34,000 | 595,047 | 4 |
| 36 | Santa Ana, CA | $84,051 | $48,000 | 334,217 | - |
| 37 | Riverside, CA | $83,983 | $48,000 | 324,722 | - |
| 38 | Jersey City, NJ | $77,683 | $45,000 | 264,152 | - |
| 39 | Aurora, CO | $56,352 | $34,000 | 361,710 | 10 |
| 40 | Oklahoma City, OK | $54,730 | $32,000 | 638,367 | 12 |
| 41 | Newark, NJ | $77,633 | $45,000 | 281,764 | - |
| 42 | Cleveland, OH | $57,313 | $33,000 | 385,809 | 2 |
| 43 | Denver, CO | $56,405 | $34,000 | 693,060 | 53 |
| 44 | Lexington, KY | $62,714 | $37,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 45 | Louisville, KY | $62,144 | $36,000 | 597,337 | 1 |
| 46 | San Antonio, TX | $56,927 | $32,000 | 1,492,510 | 14 |
| 47 | Minneapolis, MN | $64,903 | $38,000 | 413,651 | 5 |
| 48 | Chula Vista, CA | $81,469 | $47,000 | 267,172 | - |
| 49 | Portland, OR | $65,627 | $38,000 | 639,863 | 7 |
| 50 | Fort Wayne, IN | $62,247 | $36,000 | 264,488 | - |
Highest paying cities for writers
| Rank | City | Avg. writer salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Francisco, CA | $91,310 |
| 2 | Boston, MA | $90,878 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $87,474 |
| 4 | Seattle, WA | $80,716 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $73,334 |
| 6 | Philadelphia, PA | $72,461 |
| 7 | Chicago, IL | $70,640 |
| 8 | Arlington, VA | $66,497 |
| 9 | Charlotte, NC | $65,311 |
| 10 | Columbia, SC | $64,773 |
| 11 | Columbia, MD | $62,420 |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $61,386 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $58,789 |
| 14 | Baton Rouge, LA | $57,776 |
| 15 | San Antonio, TX | $56,927 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $56,695 |
| 17 | Columbus, OH | $56,695 |
| 18 | Boulder, CO | $56,645 |
| 19 | Oklahoma City, OK | $54,730 |
| 20 | Saint Louis, MO | $50,496 |
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Updated January 8, 2025