The 10 Best Cities for PAs to Move to in 2024

In its latest ranking of best healthcare jobs, U.S. News and World Report ranked physician assistants as the #2 healthcare job and the #4 best job overall in America.

PAs are undoubtedly in high demand. As of the most recent estimates by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are ~148,000 PAs working in the USA. They are paid well, with a median salary of $126,010, and the number of employed PAs is expected to soar 27% over the next ten years (the average growth rate for all occupations is around just three percent).

So, what are the best cities for physician assistants to live in 2024?

SpareFoot teamed up with Indeed, one of my top 10 best websites for PA job search, to find the ten metro areas with the most job listings for physician assistants. Indeed and salary.com provided the average salary data for PAs in these markets.

These cities were ranked by the following factors:

• Job availability
• Average annual PA salary
• Median home price
• Median annual rent

Finally, they combined the rankings (giving double weight to job availability) to determine an overall ranking. Median home prices and annual rent were sourced from Zillow.

Here are the best US cities for PAs to live in 2024

10. New York, NY

This urban mecca has no shortage of physician assistant jobs, but at an impressive annual salary of $130,509, the Big Apple is still the least affordable place to live on the list.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 10.3% (Ranked 3rd)
• Average annual salary: $130,509 (Rank 1st)
• Median home price: $729,240
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 17% (Rank 10th)
• Median annual rent: $39,000
• Rent as a percentage of income: 38% (Rank 10th)

9. Orlando, FL

While “The City Beautiful” comes in ninth for average annual PA salary, its solid percentage of job openings for physician assistants gives Orlando a boost when compared to the rest of the country.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 8.7% (Rank 5th – tie)
• Average annual salary: $112,656 (Rank 10th)
• Median home price: $373,415
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 31% (Rank 5th)
• Median annual rent: $20,796
• Rent as a percentage of income: 20% (Rank 7th)

8. Baltimore, MD

Another city with above-average physician assistant job openings compared to the rest of the country, Baltimore continues to be a hot city for PAs.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 9.5% (Rank 4th)
• Average annual salary: $121,918 (Rank 5th)
• Median home price: $190,890
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 60% (Rank 1st)
• Median annual rent: $17,796
• Rent as a percentage of income: 15.5% (Rank 6th)

7. Riverside, CA

Riverside is a prime spot for physician assistants, where the average salary of $128,923 is higher than the $115,000 median salary reported by the BLS.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 6.3% (Rank 7th)
• Average annual salary: $128,923 (Rank 4th)
• Median home price: $604,854
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 21% (Rank 8th)
• Median monthly rent: $1,138
• Rent as a percentage of income: 20% (Rank 5th)

5. Philadelphia, PA (tie)

Philadelphia tied for the smallest share of jobs among the top ten with 5.9 percent. The average annual salary of $119,251 isn't the highest on the list. But Philadelphia is relatively affordable to live in for a big city, coming in third place on the affordability of homes.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 5.9% (Rank 8th – tie)
• Average annual salary: $125,251 (Rank 3rd)
• Median home price: $228,079
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 52.3% (Rank 3rd)
• Median annual rent: $17,160
• Rent as a percentage of income: 14.39% (Rank 9th)

5. Charlotte, NC (tie)

With an above-average salary for physician assistants compared to the rest of the country, Charlotte is the largest of the three North Carolinian cities to make our list.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 5.9% (Rank 8th – tie)
• Average annual salary: $115,051 (Rank 7th)
• Median home price: $386,760
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 32% (Rank 6th)
• Median annual rent: $16,464
• Rent as a percentage of income: 15% (Rank 8th)

4. Raleigh, NC

Is this another Raleigh vs. Durham flame war? Both cities rank exceptionally well for average annual salary and rent affordability, but Durham slightly edges Raleigh this time.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 8.7% (Rank 5th – tie)
• Average annual salary: $115,729 (Rank 8th)
• Median home price: $429,232
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 27% (Rank 7th)
• Median annual rent: $14,520
• Rent as a percentage of income: 13.5% (Rank 4th)

3. Pittsburgh, PA

The Pittsburgh metro area might not have the highest-paying salary on the list ($116,655), but the cost of housing is very affordable, coming in third place for both apartments and homes.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 5.9% (Rank 8th – tie)
• Average annual salary: $116,655 (Rank 3rd)
• Median home price: $219,884
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 49% (Rank 3rd)
• Median annual rent: $14,700
• Rent as a percentage of income:  13.4% (Rank 1st)

2. Durham, NC

Is there any doubt that North Carolina is the best state for PAs? Durham earns the number two spot by the sheer number of job openings for physician assistants, making up 22.5 percent of openings within the top ten.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 22.5% (Rank 1st)
• Average annual salary: $114,292 (Rank 9th)
• Median home price: $391,000
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 30.7% (Rank 9th)
• Median annual rent: $14,700
• Rent as a percentage of income: 11.7% (Rank 3rd)

1. Hartford – West Hartford – East Hartford, CT

Greater Hartford is an all-around strong choice for physician assistants, performing especially well on job availability and housing affordability. That $128,417 average annual salary will truly go a long way here.

• Percent share of job listings (rounded): 16.2% (Rank 2nd)
• Average annual salary: $128,417 (Rank 2nd)
• Median home price: $164,623
• Salary as a percentage of home price: 41.9% (Rank 3rd)
• Median annual rent: $12,000
• Rent as a percentage of income: 11.5% (Rank 2nd)

There you have it. If you are looking for a combination of a high salary, lots of PA jobs, and a good cost of living, any of these cities is a great option!

Thank you to Roger Telosa and the team at SquareFoot.com for originally compiling this list and allowing me to share it. Though it has been updated over the years, it serves as a good jumping off point for researching the top places to live for those who hold a PA degree.

Considering an even bigger PA career change. How about going international?

Stephen Pasquini PA-C Physician Assistant

Stephen has been a family practice PA since 2004 and is the creator of The PA Life, Smarty PANCE Board Review, and PASchoolfinder websites. A National Health Service Corps Scholar and a graduate of The University of Medicine and Dentistry of NJ (Rutgers) PA Program and the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. Stephen's goal is to provide one-of-a-kind online resources for those interested in or practicing in the PA profession, to promote better access to healthcare for all, and to foster universal recognition/awareness of the PA profession. Read more about Stephen.

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