Where electricians keep the most after rent
20 large metros ranked by how much of a median electrician's take-home pay goes to a one-bedroom at HUD Fair Market Rent. BLS occupation code 47-2111; national median $63,190.
Detroit comes out on top. Median pay of $81,990 against a $1,167 one-bedroom leaves $4,375 a month after rent. At the bottom is Miami, where rent takes 52% of take-home pay. The highest-paying metro, Chicago ($102,350), ranks 3 of 20 once rent is counted.
1-bedroom rent as a share of take-home pay
Full table
| # | Metro | Median pay | vs. U.S. | 1BR rent | Hours of work | 1BR share | Left / mo | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Detroit | $81,990 | +30% | $1,167 | 29.6 h | 21% | $4,375 | 11,210 |
| 2 | Minneapolis–St. Paul | $81,890 | +30% | $1,427 | 36.2 h | 26% | $4,110 | 8,810 |
| 3 | Chicago | $102,350 | +62% | $1,780 | 36.2 h | 26% | $4,956 | 17,720 |
| 4 | Houston | $59,180 | −6% | $1,261 | 44.3 h | 30% | $2,883 | 19,730 |
| 5 | Philadelphia | $74,590 | +18% | $1,558 | 43.4 h | 31% | $3,551 | 10,090 |
| 6 | Seattle | $101,780 | +61% | $2,180 | 44.6 h | 33% | $4,523 | 9,750 |
| 7 | Riverside–San Bernardino | $72,790 | +15% | $1,705 | 48.7 h | 34% | $3,298 | 7,880 |
| 8 | Phoenix | $61,210 | −3% | $1,493 | 50.7 h | 35% | $2,787 | 17,240 |
| 9 | Baltimore | $65,590 | +4% | $1,625 | 51.5 h | 36% | $2,948 | 6,930 |
| 10 | San Francisco | $92,830 | +47% | $2,290 | 51.3 h | 37% | $3,888 | 9,060 |
| 11 | Dallas–Fort Worth | $59,010 | −7% | $1,536 | 54.1 h | 37% | $2,597 | 20,930 |
| 12 | Atlanta | $58,650 | −7% | $1,619 | 57.4 h | 39% | $2,490 | 13,430 |
| 13 | Tampa | $57,450 | −9% | $1,648 | 59.7 h | 41% | $2,380 | 7,170 |
| 14 | Denver | $63,150 | −0% | $1,831 | 60.3 h | 42% | $2,579 | 10,450 |
| 15 | Washington, DC | $75,930 | +20% | $2,204 | 60.4 h | 42% | $2,983 | 16,580 |
| 16 | San Diego | $76,160 | +21% | $2,335 | 63.8 h | 45% | $2,866 | 8,060 |
| 17 | Boston | $79,910 | +26% | $2,518 | 65.5 h | 46% | $2,903 | 13,410 |
| 18 | Los Angeles | $73,810 | +17% | $2,402 | 67.7 h | 47% | $2,661 | 20,610 |
| 19 | New York | $79,020 | +25% | $2,729 | 71.8 h | 51% | $2,639 | 36,550 |
| 20 | Miami | $58,630 | −7% | $2,121 | 75.2 h | 52% | $1,986 | 12,990 |
Sources & method
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — metropolitan areas — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25ma.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 — national — vintage: May 2025 estimates. File:
oesm25nat.zip, retrieved 2026-10-06. - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD USER), Fair Market Rents, FY2027 — vintage: FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). File:
FY27_FMRs.xlsx, retrieved 2026-10-05. - Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (tax year 2026 brackets, $16,100 standard deduction) and SSA's $184,500 wage base, used for the take-home estimate.
Take-home = annual wage − 2026 federal income tax (single filer, standard deduction) − Social Security and Medicare. State and local income taxes are not deducted. Wages are May 2025 estimates; rents are HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective Oct 1, 2026). Full details on the methodology page. Page data last rebuilt 2026-10-06.