Best cities for an Artist
The best cities for artists are Reno, NV, Las Vegas, NV, and Columbus, OH, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for artists vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for artists in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as an artist or considering a move, this list of the best cities for artists to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for artists. We also consider how easy it is to find work as an artist. While the absolute best city for artists is Reno, NV, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for artists in 2024.
If you're looking for an Artist job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for Artists In 2025
1. Reno, NV
Artist Jobs in RenoTotal Artist jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $76,609 Lowest 10 percent warn: $45,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $129,000 Location quotient: 6.28 2. Las Vegas, NV
Artist Jobs in Las VegasTotal Artist jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $73,634 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $123,000 Location quotient: 2.01 3. Columbus, OH
Artist Jobs in ColumbusTotal Artist jobs: 13 Average annual salary: $64,278 Lowest 10 percent warn: $37,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $109,000 Location quotient: 1.73 4. El Paso, TX
Total Artist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $66,005 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $110,000 Location quotient: 4.15 5. Detroit, MI
Artist Jobs in DetroitTotal Artist jobs: 4 Average annual salary: $66,378 Lowest 10 percent warn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $113,000 Location quotient: 1.12 6. San Francisco, CA
Artist Jobs in San FranciscoTotal Artist jobs: 70 Average annual salary: $79,403 Lowest 10 percent warn: $47,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $133,000 Location quotient: 4.14 7. Pittsburgh, PA
Artist Jobs in PittsburghTotal Artist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $67,220 Lowest 10 percent warn: $39,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $115,000 Location quotient: 1.17 8. Louisville, KY
Artist Jobs in LouisvilleTotal Artist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $60,205 Lowest 10 percent warn: $35,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $101,000 Location quotient: 2.02 9. Austin, TX
Artist Jobs in AustinTotal Artist jobs: 29 Average annual salary: $63,285 Lowest 10 percent warn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $108,000 Location quotient: 2.57 10. Portland, OR
Artist Jobs in PortlandTotal Artist jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $72,955 Lowest 10 percent warn: $43,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $121,000 Location quotient: 1.04
Choose from 10+ customizable artist resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use artist resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your artist resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for artists
- Reno, NV
- Las Vegas, NV
- Columbus, OH
- El Paso, TX
- Detroit, MI
- San Francisco, CA
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Louisville, KY
- Austin, TX
- Portland, OR
Detailed list of the best cities for an Artist
Rank  | City | Average Salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job Count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reno, NV | $76,609 | $45,000 | 245,255 | 8 |
| 2 | Las Vegas, NV | $73,634 | $43,000 | 632,912 | 8 |
| 3 | Columbus, OH | $64,278 | $37,000 | 860,090 | 13 |
| 4 | El Paso, TX | $66,005 | $39,000 | 683,080 | 4 |
| 5 | Detroit, MI | $66,378 | $38,000 | 672,795 | 4 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $79,403 | $47,000 | 870,887 | 70 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh, PA | $67,220 | $39,000 | 303,625 | 6 |
| 8 | Louisville, KY | $60,205 | $35,000 | 597,337 | 6 |
| 9 | Austin, TX | $63,285 | $36,000 | 947,890 | 29 |
| 10 | Portland, OR | $72,955 | $43,000 | 639,863 | 6 |
| 11 | Phoenix, AZ | $69,552 | $41,000 | 1,615,017 | 7 |
| 12 | Tucson, AZ | $67,833 | $40,000 | 530,706 | 2 |
| 13 | Madison, WI | $63,136 | $37,000 | 252,551 | 4 |
| 14 | Philadelphia, PA | $69,921 | $40,000 | 1,567,872 | 2 |
| 15 | Nashville, TN | $58,479 | $34,000 | 660,388 | 14 |
| 16 | North Las Vegas, NV | $73,504 | $43,000 | 238,702 | - |
| 17 | Durham, NC | $62,403 | $35,000 | 263,016 | 5 |
| 18 | Henderson, NV | $73,381 | $43,000 | 292,969 | - |
| 19 | Scottsdale, AZ | $69,466 | $41,000 | 246,645 | 1 |
| 20 | Cleveland, OH | $66,746 | $38,000 | 385,809 | - |
| 21 | Toledo, OH | $65,577 | $38,000 | 278,508 | - |
| 22 | Seattle, WA | $72,305 | $43,000 | 704,352 | 11 |
| 23 | Glendale, AZ | $69,596 | $41,000 | 245,895 | - |
| 24 | Sacramento, CA | $78,574 | $46,000 | 495,234 | 5 |
| 25 | Cincinnati, OH | $62,153 | $36,000 | 298,800 | - |
| 26 | Indianapolis, IN | $61,887 | $36,000 | 855,164 | 2 |
| 27 | Chandler, AZ | $69,196 | $41,000 | 247,477 | - |
| 28 | Mesa, AZ | $69,176 | $41,000 | 484,587 | - |
| 29 | Dallas, TX | $61,371 | $36,000 | 1,317,929 | 17 |
| 30 | Gilbert, AZ | $69,134 | $41,000 | 237,133 | - |
| 31 | Milwaukee, WI | $63,868 | $38,000 | 595,047 | 1 |
| 32 | Fort Wayne, IN | $63,765 | $37,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 33 | Arlington, TX | $61,573 | $36,000 | 392,772 | 1 |
| 34 | Los Angeles, CA | $74,540 | $44,000 | 3,976,322 | 136 |
| 35 | Albuquerque, NM | $66,383 | $39,000 | 559,277 | - |
| 36 | Houston, TX | $62,575 | $36,000 | 2,303,482 | 13 |
| 37 | New York, NY | $70,244 | $40,000 | 8,537,673 | 175 |
| 38 | Lexington, KY | $60,815 | $35,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 39 | Irvine, CA | $73,644 | $44,000 | 266,122 | 52 |
| 40 | Anaheim, CA | $73,925 | $44,000 | 351,043 | 4 |
| 41 | Laredo, TX | $64,069 | $37,000 | 257,156 | - |
| 42 | Riverside, CA | $73,642 | $44,000 | 324,722 | 5 |
| 43 | San Antonio, TX | $63,781 | $37,000 | 1,492,510 | - |
| 44 | Corpus Christi, TX | $63,456 | $36,000 | 325,733 | - |
| 45 | Raleigh, NC | $62,319 | $35,000 | 458,880 | 2 |
| 46 | Oakland, CA | $79,263 | $47,000 | 420,005 | - |
| 47 | Fremont, CA | $79,105 | $47,000 | 233,136 | - |
| 48 | Lubbock, TX | $63,645 | $37,000 | 252,506 | - |
| 49 | San Jose, CA | $79,047 | $47,000 | 1,025,350 | - |
| 50 | Long Beach, CA | $74,052 | $44,000 | 470,130 | 2 |
Highest paying cities for artists
| Rank | City | Avg. Artist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | San Rafael, CA | $79,430 |
| 2 | Reno, NV | $76,609 |
| 3 | Hillsboro, OR | $73,173 |
| 4 | Vancouver, WA | $72,903 |
| 5 | Greenwich, CT | $70,246 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $70,244 |
| 7 | Glendale, AZ | $69,596 |
| 8 | Boston, MA | $69,451 |
| 9 | Baltimore, MD | $69,002 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $66,438 |
| 11 | Austin, TX | $63,285 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $62,945 |
| 13 | Minneapolis, MN | $62,850 |
| 14 | Durham, NC | $62,403 |
| 15 | Littleton, CO | $61,849 |
| 16 | Miami, FL | $60,055 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $58,437 |
| 18 | Franklin, TN | $58,422 |
Artist best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common arts, entertainment, sports, and media questions.
Search for artist jobs
Loading...
Loading...
Updated January 8, 2025