Chicago vs. New York
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
New York's median is 4.5% 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); New York's $38,890 buys $34,500 (112.6).
Table 2 — The figures
Point by point
Published percentiles for both metros; the last column is New York against Chicago.
| Chicago | New York | Δ | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment | 9,920 | 16,560 | +66.9% |
| 10th percentile | $32,370 | $34,710 | +7.2% |
| 25th percentile | $35,910 | $36,100 | +0.5% |
| Median | $37,230 | $38,890 | +4.5% |
| 75th percentile | $45,100 | $46,220 | +2.5% |
| 90th percentile | $47,610 | $54,560 | +14.6% |
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 New York
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.