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MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for General and Operations Managers

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.

Direct BLS match to SOC 11-1021 General and Operations Managers.

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

Hartford, CT

MSA Pop: 1.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,192
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$151,782
BEA 2024 RPP
102.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,573/mo
#2

New Haven, CT

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,409
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$137,811
BEA 2024 RPP
104.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#3

Birmingham, AL

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,374
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$126,649
BEA 2024 RPP
91.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,075/mo
#4

Milwaukee, WI

MSA Pop: 1.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,187
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$128,627
BEA 2024 RPP
96.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#5

Indianapolis, IN

MSA Pop: 2.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,109
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$123,492
BEA 2024 RPP
95.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#6

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,096
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$122,590
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#7

Washington, DC

MSA Pop: 6.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,023
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$160,372
BEA 2024 RPP
108.9
Est. Mortgage
$2,883/mo
#8

Philadelphia, PA

MSA Pop: 6.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,909
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$124,671
BEA 2024 RPP
102.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#9

Denver, CO

MSA Pop: 2.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,649
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$145,888
BEA 2024 RPP
105.8
Est. Mortgage
$2,883/mo
#10

New York, NY

MSA Pop: 20.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,623
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$160,925
BEA 2024 RPP
112.6
Est. Mortgage
$3,565/mo
#11

Madison, WI

MSA Pop: 0.7M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,619
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$129,785
BEA 2024 RPP
97.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,992/mo
#12

Memphis, TN

MSA Pop: 1.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,595
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$105,073
BEA 2024 RPP
92.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#13

Nashville, TN

MSA Pop: 1.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,490
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$122,990
BEA 2024 RPP
96.3
Est. Mortgage
$2,254/mo
#14

Seattle, WA

MSA Pop: 4.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,332
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$149,681
BEA 2024 RPP
111.1
Est. Mortgage
$3,932/mo
#15

Knoxville, TN

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,301
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$107,205
BEA 2024 RPP
92.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,520/mo
#16

Rochester, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,301
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,282
BEA 2024 RPP
97.0
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#17

Dallas, TX

MSA Pop: 7.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,293
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$113,785
BEA 2024 RPP
103.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,913/mo
#18

Baltimore, MD

MSA Pop: 2.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,280
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$119,966
BEA 2024 RPP
104.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,835/mo
#19

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,247
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,610
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#20

Pittsburgh, PA

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,243
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,361
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo