Chicago vs. Los Angeles
Bakers. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.
Data released May 2025
BLS OEWS · SOC 51-3011
Fig. 1 — Side by side
Both distributions, one scale
10th to 90th percentile, median struck in red
Table 1 — Adjusted
Los Angeles's median is 5.5% higher — but after local prices, the advantage flips: a median salary goes further in Chicago.
Chicago's median $37,230 buys $35,900 at national prices (price parity 103.6); Los Angeles's $39,260 buys $34,600 (113.6).
Table 2 — The figures
Point by point
Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is Los Angeles against Chicago.
| Chicago | Los Angeles | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 9,920 | 10,580 | +6.7% |
| 10th percentile | $32,370 | $36,780 | +13.6% |
| 25th percentile | $35,910 | $37,950 | +5.7% |
| Median | $37,230 | $39,260 | +5.5% |
| 75th percentile | $45,100 | $46,710 | +3.6% |
| 90th percentile | $47,610 | $50,120 | +5.3% |
Sources
How this page was made
- Wage data
- Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 release. Public domain.
- Price parity
- Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Full pages
- Bakers in Chicago · Bakers in Los Angeles
Percentiles are reported exactly as released. Derived (price-adjusted) figures round to the nearest hundred. We take no payment for how any figure is presented.