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MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for Business Analysts

This ranking uses a modeled monthly surplus, not salary alone. It estimates take-home pay, housing, and local standard expenses so you can compare the same defined measure across cities.

Close proxy: Business Analyst is mapped to BLS SOC 15-1211 Computer Systems Analysts.

What the modeled surplus includes

Modeled 2026 monthly surplus = modeled monthly take-home pay - estimated mortgage - fixed standard expenses ($2,200/month in every metro). It is a comparison model, not your personal cash-after-rent result.

#1

Dallas, TX

MSA Pop: 7.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,979
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$125,583
BEA 2024 RPP
103.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,913/mo
#2

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,728
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$116,276
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#3

Providence, RI

MSA Pop: 1.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,727
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$131,795
BEA 2024 RPP
101.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,992/mo
#4

Colorado Springs, CO

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,535
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$131,959
BEA 2024 RPP
100.7
Est. Mortgage
$2,254/mo
#5

Memphis, TN

MSA Pop: 1.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,482
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,156
BEA 2024 RPP
92.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#6

Akron, OH

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,293
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,566
BEA 2024 RPP
93.4
Est. Mortgage
$917/mo
#7

Hartford, CT

MSA Pop: 1.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,259
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$115,077
BEA 2024 RPP
102.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,573/mo
#8

Dayton, OH

MSA Pop: 0.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,255
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$102,869
BEA 2024 RPP
92.7
Est. Mortgage
$917/mo
#9

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,228
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,262
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#10

Atlanta, GA

MSA Pop: 5.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,217
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$122,067
BEA 2024 RPP
100.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,992/mo
#11

Cleveland, OH

MSA Pop: 2.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,215
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$104,078
BEA 2024 RPP
93.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#12

Tulsa, OK

MSA Pop: 1.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,211
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,996
BEA 2024 RPP
89.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#13

El Paso, TX

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,199
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$96,975
BEA 2024 RPP
89.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#14

San Antonio, TX

MSA Pop: 2.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,127
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,361
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,468/mo
#15

Pittsburgh, PA

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,111
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,014
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#16

Buffalo, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,110
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$104,201
BEA 2024 RPP
95.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#17

Columbus, OH

MSA Pop: 2.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,085
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$109,911
BEA 2024 RPP
95.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,468/mo
#18

Birmingham, AL

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,048
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,957
BEA 2024 RPP
91.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,075/mo
#19

Indianapolis, IN

MSA Pop: 2.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,043
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$104,437
BEA 2024 RPP
95.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#20

Duluth, MN

MSA Pop: 0.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,997
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$105,831
BEA 2024 RPP
88.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,206/mo