Best Value Cities for Plumbers — 2026
Milwaukee, Wisconsin ranks first with an average Plumber salary of $89,150 per year ($42.86/hr). Full ranking of 100 cities below, updated August 2026.
Methodology: Wage figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release data vintage (survey reference period May 2025), mapped from SOC occupation 47-2152 Plumbers, Pipefitters, and Steamfitters to the job title "Plumber". Values are measured survey estimates for the metropolitan metropolitan statistical area (MSA) — not modeled or interpolated. Year-over-year comparisons use the May 2024 OEWS release. The year shown in page titles is the publication and update year, not the data vintage.
Ranked Cities
| City | State | Average Annual Salary | Hourly Rate | Entry Level | Senior Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $89,150 | $42.86/hr | $56,520 | $124,470 |
| Chicago | Illinois | $96,430 | $46.36/hr | $53,960 | $127,200 |
| Fort Wayne | Indiana | $78,260 | $37.63/hr | $47,850 | $102,520 |
| Detroit | Michigan | $81,710 | $39.28/hr | $48,250 | $107,780 |
| Minneapolis | Minnesota | $92,030 | $44.25/hr | $51,370 | $121,720 |
| York | Pennsylvania | $81,300 | $39.09/hr | $47,370 | $147,310 |
| St Louis | Missouri | $81,070 | $38.98/hr | $47,040 | $121,230 |
| Toledo | Ohio | $73,220 | $35.20/hr | $46,530 | $103,520 |
| Madison | Wisconsin | $86,590 | $41.63/hr | $48,310 | $123,270 |
| Buffalo | New York | $73,700 | $35.44/hr | $40,300 | $104,040 |
| Harrisburg | Pennsylvania | $78,560 | $37.77/hr | $48,080 | $104,630 |
| Kansas City | Missouri | $79,030 | $38.00/hr | $46,800 | $122,820 |
| Grand Rapids | Michigan | $76,460 | $36.76/hr | $46,630 | $98,210 |
| Indianapolis | Indiana | $76,260 | $36.66/hr | $46,740 | $102,370 |
| Rochester | New York | $73,550 | $35.36/hr | $43,570 | $100,140 |
| Syracuse | New York | $71,590 | $34.42/hr | $44,720 | $99,450 |
| Pittsburgh | Pennsylvania | $75,420 | $36.26/hr | $46,910 | $107,870 |
| Des Moines | Iowa | $73,230 | $35.21/hr | $47,720 | $99,570 |
| Wichita | Kansas | $66,780 | $32.10/hr | $38,290 | $93,630 |
| Akron | Ohio | $69,090 | $33.22/hr | $44,780 | $99,710 |
| Portland | Oregon | $100,710 | $48.42/hr | $57,640 | $147,100 |
| Spokane | Washington | $75,720 | $36.40/hr | $47,830 | $105,980 |
| Dayton | Ohio | $69,230 | $33.28/hr | $46,680 | $99,180 |
| Louisville | Kentucky | $71,560 | $34.41/hr | $48,250 | $94,920 |
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | $69,930 | $33.62/hr | $49,920 | $81,060 |
| Fresno | California | $76,020 | $36.55/hr | $46,590 | $124,280 |
| Cleveland | Ohio | $69,670 | $33.50/hr | $46,330 | $101,220 |
| Omaha | Nebraska | $71,120 | $34.19/hr | $46,710 | $98,540 |
| Worcester | Massachusetts | $84,660 | $40.70/hr | $48,860 | $119,980 |
| Bakersfield | California | $76,110 | $36.59/hr | $45,670 | $117,840 |
| Cincinnati | Ohio | $70,570 | $33.93/hr | $46,830 | $101,800 |
| Scranton | Pennsylvania | $65,250 | $31.37/hr | $43,690 | $98,150 |
| Philadelphia | Pennsylvania | $83,660 | $40.22/hr | $48,400 | $142,210 |
| Allentown | Pennsylvania | $75,490 | $36.29/hr | $46,460 | $138,040 |
| Columbus | Ohio | $69,140 | $33.24/hr | $40,820 | $103,000 |
| Mobile | Alabama | $58,770 | $28.26/hr | $38,170 | $74,940 |
| Albuquerque | New Mexico | $64,890 | $31.20/hr | $37,280 | $87,920 |
| Modesto | California | $72,600 | $34.90/hr | $47,260 | $114,510 |
| Providence | Rhode Island | $82,000 | $39.42/hr | $49,590 | $110,770 |
| Oklahoma City | Oklahoma | $61,390 | $29.51/hr | $38,760 | $83,260 |
| Tulsa | Oklahoma | $59,160 | $28.44/hr | $37,990 | $80,420 |
| Memphis | Tennessee | $60,500 | $29.09/hr | $37,530 | $82,020 |
| Birmingham | Alabama | $59,350 | $28.53/hr | $38,620 | $76,290 |
| Jackson | Mississippi | $57,220 | $27.51/hr | $37,550 | $75,650 |
| Lancaster | Pennsylvania | $66,880 | $32.15/hr | $46,220 | $98,740 |
| Phoenix | Arizona | $70,620 | $33.95/hr | $46,530 | $100,710 |
| Boston | Massachusetts | $92,810 | $44.62/hr | $52,270 | $143,950 |
| El Paso | Texas | $56,270 | $27.05/hr | $35,600 | $88,370 |
| Anchorage | Alaska | $89,290 | $42.93/hr | $53,730 | $116,790 |
| Chattanooga | Tennessee | $59,950 | $28.82/hr | $37,670 | $78,880 |
| Knoxville | Tennessee | $60,510 | $29.09/hr | $38,940 | $79,560 |
| New Orleans | Louisiana | $62,920 | $30.25/hr | $39,220 | $79,690 |
| Houston | Texas | $63,860 | $30.70/hr | $39,920 | $85,680 |
| Austin | Texas | $63,760 | $30.65/hr | $40,810 | $80,920 |
| Denver | Colorado | $71,910 | $34.57/hr | $48,640 | $102,770 |
| Ogden | Utah | $65,130 | $31.31/hr | $40,540 | $83,370 |
| Hartford | Connecticut | $74,860 | $35.99/hr | $43,260 | $102,180 |
| Salt Lake City | Utah | $67,790 | $32.59/hr | $47,870 | $88,310 |
| Dallas | Texas | $62,260 | $29.94/hr | $39,350 | $82,230 |
| Richmond | Virginia | $60,940 | $29.30/hr | $44,420 | $77,490 |
| Victoria | Texas | $57,570 | $27.68/hr | $37,590 | $75,120 |
| Augusta | Georgia | $56,220 | $27.03/hr | $36,490 | $77,330 |
| San Antonio | Texas | $57,970 | $27.87/hr | $37,240 | $78,530 |
| Colorado Springs | Colorado | $64,940 | $31.22/hr | $46,070 | $87,730 |
| Riverside | California | $73,670 | $35.42/hr | $48,910 | $115,340 |
| Las Vegas | Nevada | $70,210 | $33.76/hr | $42,210 | $119,300 |
| Nashville | Tennessee | $63,080 | $30.33/hr | $42,650 | $83,670 |
| Bridgeport | Connecticut | $79,490 | $38.22/hr | $46,940 | $119,250 |
| Jacksonville | Florida | $58,230 | $28.00/hr | $40,020 | $75,310 |
| Greenville | South Carolina | $56,130 | $26.99/hr | $36,690 | $79,890 |
| Stockton | California | $72,060 | $34.65/hr | $46,640 | $98,920 |
| Charleston | South Carolina | $58,210 | $27.99/hr | $39,100 | $74,880 |
| Greensboro | North Carolina | $56,230 | $27.03/hr | $39,550 | $73,860 |
| Tucson | Arizona | $58,400 | $28.08/hr | $43,840 | $74,250 |
| Palm Bay | Florida | $58,690 | $28.21/hr | $41,800 | $73,820 |
| Seattle | Washington | $96,250 | $46.27/hr | $51,930 | $153,500 |
| Raleigh | North Carolina | $60,290 | $28.99/hr | $42,940 | $77,610 |
| Atlanta | Georgia | $60,020 | $28.85/hr | $37,900 | $81,580 |
| Sacramento | California | $76,440 | $36.75/hr | $46,620 | $131,100 |
| Durham | North Carolina | $58,630 | $28.19/hr | $43,820 | $76,460 |
| Columbia | South Carolina | $55,130 | $26.50/hr | $38,010 | $75,570 |
| McAllen | Texas | $47,040 | $22.62/hr | $30,370 | $62,130 |
| Little Rock | Arkansas | $51,170 | $24.60/hr | $35,100 | $68,540 |
| Baltimore | Maryland | $70,780 | $34.03/hr | $45,220 | $102,640 |
| Pensacola | Florida | $53,590 | $25.77/hr | $37,810 | $69,390 |
| Charlotte | North Carolina | $58,140 | $27.95/hr | $42,320 | $76,010 |
| Provo | Utah | $59,060 | $28.39/hr | $40,540 | $78,420 |
| Lakeland | Florida | $54,270 | $26.09/hr | $38,130 | $69,430 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia | $59,280 | $28.50/hr | $45,720 | $75,410 |
| Boise | Idaho | $59,620 | $28.66/hr | $39,450 | $82,770 |
| Cape Coral | Florida | $54,480 | $26.19/hr | $36,670 | $67,590 |
| Orlando | Florida | $55,990 | $26.92/hr | $39,900 | $72,950 |
| Tampa | Florida | $55,600 | $26.73/hr | $41,610 | $66,830 |
| Washington | District of Columbia | $75,090 | $36.10/hr | $47,480 | $114,400 |
| Miami | Florida | $57,830 | $27.80/hr | $40,360 | $75,010 |
| Urban Honolulu | Hawaii | $83,910 | $40.34/hr | $49,460 | $115,080 |
| New York | New York | $90,820 | $43.66/hr | $47,870 | $145,480 |
| San Diego | California | $78,580 | $37.78/hr | $46,030 | $127,790 |
| San Francisco | California | $92,380 | $44.41/hr | $48,540 | $155,330 |
| Los Angeles | California | $80,230 | $38.57/hr | $46,090 | $125,080 |