Which metros' median pay rose and fell most, 2024 to 2025
BLS All Occupations median annual pay for 393 metropolitan areas priced in both the 2024 and 2025 OEWS MSA releases. This is what the metro releases recorded, not a projection and not a custom average of occupational medians. For statewide change, see observed state pay changes; for occupation-level national change, see observed job pay changes.
The benchmark
+3.1% over 1 year
That is the median change across all 393 comparable metros. Half moved more, half moved less. Every figure on this page is nominal: it is not adjusted for inflation, so a rise smaller than the median is a metro that lost ground against the typical place. The "vs median" column is the comparison that does not depend on a price index.
Bars grow left of the median axis when a metro rose less (or fell) relative to the typical place; right when it rose more. Source: BLS OEWS MSA All Occupations medians.
Largest metro pay increases
| Metro | 2024 median | 2025 median | Change | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aguadilla, PR | $23,120 | $26,480 | +14.5% | +11.4 pp |
| Ponce, PR | $24,040 | $26,940 | +12.1% | +9.0 pp |
| Mayaguez, PR | $22,610 | $25,270 | +11.8% | +8.7 pp |
| Helena, MT | $49,300 | $55,040 | +11.6% | +8.5 pp |
| Arecibo, PR | $23,500 | $26,120 | +11.1% | +8.0 pp |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $40,410 | $44,610 | +10.4% | +7.3 pp |
| Bozeman, MT | $49,920 | $54,830 | +9.8% | +6.7 pp |
| Morristown, TN | $40,320 | $44,280 | +9.8% | +6.7 pp |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $40,090 | $43,850 | +9.4% | +6.3 pp |
| Carson City, NV | $51,830 | $56,680 | +9.4% | +6.3 pp |
| Guayama, PR | $23,120 | $25,260 | +9.3% | +6.2 pp |
| Las Cruces, NM | $38,620 | $42,070 | +8.9% | +5.8 pp |
| Salem, OR | $50,810 | $55,310 | +8.9% | +5.8 pp |
| Beckley, WV | $38,460 | $41,850 | +8.8% | +5.7 pp |
| Bay City, MI | $41,940 | $45,620 | +8.8% | +5.7 pp |
| Florence, SC | $40,200 | $43,520 | +8.3% | +5.2 pp |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $52,610 | $56,950 | +8.2% | +5.1 pp |
| Bend, OR | $50,620 | $54,570 | +7.8% | +4.7 pp |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $39,610 | $42,680 | +7.8% | +4.6 pp |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $41,750 | $44,940 | +7.6% | +4.5 pp |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $67,510 | $72,610 | +7.6% | +4.5 pp |
| Albany, GA | $40,590 | $43,620 | +7.5% | +4.4 pp |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $50,320 | $54,060 | +7.4% | +4.3 pp |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $51,430 | $55,240 | +7.4% | +4.3 pp |
| Burlington, NC | $40,980 | $44,010 | +7.4% | +4.3 pp |
Largest metro pay declines and slowest gains
Metros that fell in nominal terms lead this table; the rest are the smallest gains against the +3.1% median place.
| Metro | 2024 median | 2025 median | Change | vs median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Midland, MI | $50,650 | $49,340 | -2.6% | -5.7 pp |
| State College, PA | $50,250 | $49,220 | -2.0% | -5.2 pp |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $47,310 | $47,070 | -0.5% | -3.6 pp |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $45,440 | $45,220 | -0.5% | -3.6 pp |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $49,000 | $48,990 | -0.0% | -3.1 pp |
| Monroe, MI | $46,220 | $46,240 | +0.0% | -3.1 pp |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $47,510 | $47,570 | +0.1% | -3.0 pp |
| Gainesville, FL | $46,950 | $47,020 | +0.1% | -3.0 pp |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $56,860 | $57,030 | +0.3% | -2.8 pp |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $48,240 | $48,400 | +0.3% | -2.8 pp |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $73,960 | $74,260 | +0.4% | -2.7 pp |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $48,060 | $48,260 | +0.4% | -2.7 pp |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $47,700 | $48,120 | +0.9% | -2.2 pp |
| Battle Creek, MI | $48,200 | $48,690 | +1.0% | -2.1 pp |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $45,610 | $46,110 | +1.1% | -2.0 pp |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $59,270 | $59,940 | +1.1% | -2.0 pp |
| Vineland, NJ | $47,650 | $48,190 | +1.1% | -2.0 pp |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $47,920 | $48,470 | +1.1% | -2.0 pp |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $46,930 | $47,470 | +1.2% | -2.0 pp |
| Lake Charles, LA | $45,170 | $45,700 | +1.2% | -1.9 pp |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $50,190 | $50,790 | +1.2% | -1.9 pp |
| Saginaw, MI | $45,630 | $46,200 | +1.2% | -1.9 pp |
| Kankakee, IL | $45,260 | $45,830 | +1.3% | -1.8 pp |
| Salinas, CA | $46,790 | $47,380 | +1.3% | -1.8 pp |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $47,750 | $48,370 | +1.3% | -1.8 pp |
How this is calculated
- BLS All Occupations MSA row only. Each figure is the published metro 00-0000 median, not a mean of occupational medians we compute.
- Like-for-like metros only. Only the 393 MSAs priced in both 2024 and 2025 are compared. Nonmetropolitan BOS reporting areas are not on this page.
- Nominal, not inflation-adjusted. No price deflator is applied; the "vs median" column is the relative read.
- A metro median is not a person. Changes reflect employment mix and sampling as well as raises.