2026 Edition · An annual reference on what work pays

Los Angeles 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
40k50k LOS ANGELES $39,260 NEW YORK $38,890
Table 1 — Adjusted

Los Angeles's median is 0.9% higher — but at national prices the two medians buy almost exactly the same.

Los Angeles's median $39,260 buys $34,600 at national prices (price parity 113.6); 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 Los Angeles.

Los AngelesNew YorkΔ
Employment10,58016,560+56.5%
10th percentile$36,780$34,710−5.6%
25th percentile$37,950$36,100−4.9%
Median$39,260$38,890−0.9%
75th percentile$46,710$46,220−1.0%
90th percentile$50,120$54,560+8.9%
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 Los Angeles · 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.