HomeRankingsUX Designers
MODELED MONTHLY SURPLUS

Top 20 cities for UX Designers

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: UX Designer is mapped to BLS SOC 15-1255 Web and Digital Interface Designers.

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

Durham, NC

MSA Pop: 0.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$4,038
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$136,674
BEA 2024 RPP
97.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,992/mo
#2

Atlanta, GA

MSA Pop: 5.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,168
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$121,145
BEA 2024 RPP
100.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,992/mo
#3

San Antonio, TX

MSA Pop: 2.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,135
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,484
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,468/mo
#4

Buffalo, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$3,018
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$102,490
BEA 2024 RPP
95.8
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#5

Detroit, MI

MSA Pop: 4.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,990
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$101,936
BEA 2024 RPP
100.3
Est. Mortgage
$1,179/mo
#6

Philadelphia, PA

MSA Pop: 6.2M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,949
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$107,461
BEA 2024 RPP
102.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#7

Dallas, TX

MSA Pop: 7.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,881
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$106,754
BEA 2024 RPP
103.1
Est. Mortgage
$1,913/mo
#8

Austin, TX

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,859
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$122,949
BEA 2024 RPP
98.1
Est. Mortgage
$2,883/mo
#9

Milwaukee, WI

MSA Pop: 1.6M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,822
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$103,228
BEA 2024 RPP
96.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,363/mo
#10

Houston, TX

MSA Pop: 7.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,725
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$99,169
BEA 2024 RPP
98.6
Est. Mortgage
$1,625/mo
#11

Rochester, NY

MSA Pop: 1.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,633
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$93,828
BEA 2024 RPP
97.0
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#12

Seattle, WA

MSA Pop: 4.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,616
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$137,104
BEA 2024 RPP
111.1
Est. Mortgage
$3,932/mo
#13

Columbus, OH

MSA Pop: 2.1M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,463
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$98,410
BEA 2024 RPP
95.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,468/mo
#14

Pittsburgh, PA

MSA Pop: 2.3M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,384
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$88,047
BEA 2024 RPP
94.7
Est. Mortgage
$1,101/mo
#15

Cleveland, OH

MSA Pop: 2.0M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,373
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$88,498
BEA 2024 RPP
93.9
Est. Mortgage
$1,022/mo
#16

Phoenix, AZ

MSA Pop: 4.9M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,224
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$107,563
BEA 2024 RPP
103.3
Est. Mortgage
$2,202/mo
#17

Portland, OR

MSA Pop: 2.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,215
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$123,656
BEA 2024 RPP
105.4
Est. Mortgage
$2,726/mo
#18

Jacksonville, FL

MSA Pop: 1.5M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,201
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$92,035
BEA 2024 RPP
99.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,730/mo
#19

Raleigh, NC

MSA Pop: 1.4M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,191
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$105,431
BEA 2024 RPP
98.2
Est. Mortgage
$2,149/mo
#20

Baltimore, MD

MSA Pop: 2.8M
Modeled 2026 monthly surplus
$2,147
Modeled 2026 Gross Salary
$99,179
BEA 2024 RPP
104.5
Est. Mortgage
$1,835/mo