Chicago vs. Los Angeles
Packers and Packagers, Hand. Median, spread and buying power, side by side.
Data released May 2025
BLS OEWS · SOC 53-7064
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 3.3% higher — but after local prices, the advantage flips: a median salary goes further in Chicago.
Chicago's median $36,180 buys $34,900 at national prices (price parity 103.6); Los Angeles's $37,390 buys $32,900 (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 | 17,960 | 25,350 | +41.1% |
| 10th percentile | $31,570 | $34,890 | +10.5% |
| 25th percentile | $34,840 | $35,870 | +3.0% |
| Median | $36,180 | $37,390 | +3.3% |
| 75th percentile | $40,580 | $41,540 | +2.4% |
| 90th percentile | $47,420 | $46,560 | −1.8% |
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
- Packers and Packagers, Hand in Chicago · Packers and Packagers, Hand 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.