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MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for Registered Nurses

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 29-1141 Registered Nurses.

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

Sacramento, CA

MSA Pop: 2.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$5,034
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$175,746
BEA 2024 RPP
106.7
Est. Mortgage
$2,673/mo
#2

Stockton, CA

MSA Pop: 0.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,645
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$137,945
BEA 2024 RPP
105.1
Est. Mortgage
$2,202/mo
#3

Fresno, CA

MSA Pop: 1.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,498
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$128,555
BEA 2024 RPP
102.2
Est. Mortgage
$1,887/mo
#4

Riverside, CA

MSA Pop: 4.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,089
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$137,289
BEA 2024 RPP
106.4
Est. Mortgage
$2,726/mo
#5

Buffalo, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,967
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,536
BEA 2024 RPP
95.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#6

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,910
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$102,326
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#7

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,867
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$99,712
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#8

New Haven, CT

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,776
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$107,102
BEA 2024 RPP
104.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#9

San Antonio, TX

MSA Pop: 2.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,739
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$96,729
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,468/mo
#10

Philadelphia, PA

MSA Pop: 6.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,738
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,709
BEA 2024 RPP
102.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#11

Dallas, TX

MSA Pop: 7.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,717
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,955
BEA 2024 RPP
103.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,913/mo
#12

Portland, OR

MSA Pop: 2.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,703
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$133,568
BEA 2024 RPP
105.4
Est. Mortgage
$2,726/mo
#13

El Paso, TX

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,688
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$88,252
BEA 2024 RPP
89.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#14

Hartford, CT

MSA Pop: 1.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,661
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$104,007
BEA 2024 RPP
102.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,573/mo
#15

Duluth, MN

MSA Pop: 0.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,657
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$99,363
BEA 2024 RPP
88.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,206/mo
#16

Milwaukee, WI

MSA Pop: 1.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,636
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$99,794
BEA 2024 RPP
96.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#17

Las Vegas, NV

MSA Pop: 2.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,580
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,538
BEA 2024 RPP
100.2
Est. Mortgage
$2,202/mo
#18

McAllen, TX

MSA Pop: 0.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,563
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$82,554
BEA 2024 RPP
85.9
Est. Mortgage
$813/mo
#19

San Jose, CA

MSA Pop: 1.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,540
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$222,158
BEA 2024 RPP
110.4
Est. Mortgage
$7,601/mo
#20

Chicago, IL

MSA Pop: 9.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,508
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,002
BEA 2024 RPP
103.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,651/mo