25 Best Cities for Professors in 2026
Tenure-track faculty positions are scarce and often location-constrained, but adjunct and lecturer roles exist in most metros with a college or university. We ranked cities on income, job stability, and quality of life, since professors often accept lower salaries in exchange for intellectual environment and urban amenities.
Methodology
Scoring weights: median income (35%), unemployment rate (25%, inverted), rent-to-income ratio (25%, inverted), violent crime rate (15%, inverted).
Laconia
New Hampshire
Median Income
$97,692
Median Rent
$1,037/mo
Unemployment
2.1%
Violent Crime
107/100k
Heber
Utah
Median Income
$134,986
Median Rent
$2,434/mo
Unemployment
2.5%
Violent Crime
232/100k
Lexington Park
Maryland
Median Income
$116,297
Median Rent
$1,718/mo
Unemployment
2.0%
Violent Crime
426/100k
Manchester-Nashua
New Hampshire
Median Income
$103,727
Median Rent
$1,668/mo
Unemployment
2.4%
Violent Crime
107/100k
Concord
New Hampshire
Median Income
$92,110
Median Rent
$1,398/mo
Unemployment
2.0%
Violent Crime
107/100k
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara
California
Median Income
$153,202
Median Rent
$2,773/mo
Unemployment
3.6%
Violent Crime
508/100k
Burlington-South Burlington
Vermont
Median Income
$95,497
Median Rent
$1,604/mo
Unemployment
1.6%
Violent Crime
210/100k
Keene
New Hampshire
Median Income
$89,314
Median Rent
$1,259/mo
Unemployment
2.3%
Violent Crime
107/100k
Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury
Connecticut
Median Income
$111,058
Median Rent
$1,862/mo
Unemployment
3.1%
Violent Crime
150/100k
Bismarck
North Dakota
Median Income
$83,440
Median Rent
$951/mo
Unemployment
2.0%
Violent Crime
267/100k
Ogden
Utah
Median Income
$100,461
Median Rent
$1,528/mo
Unemployment
2.5%
Violent Crime
232/100k
Portland-South Portland
Maine
Median Income
$92,117
Median Rent
$1,551/mo
Unemployment
2.2%
Violent Crime
102/100k
Kapaa
Hawaii
Median Income
$103,564
Median Rent
$1,816/mo
Unemployment
2.6%
Violent Crime
187/100k
Torrington
Connecticut
Median Income
$91,020
Median Rent
$1,141/mo
Unemployment
3.0%
Violent Crime
150/100k
Provo-Orem-Lehi
Utah
Median Income
$100,791
Median Rent
$1,556/mo
Unemployment
2.7%
Violent Crime
232/100k
Lebanon-Claremont
New Hampshire
Median Income
$78,937
Median Rent
$1,218/mo
Unemployment
1.9%
Violent Crime
107/100k
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington
Minnesota
Median Income
$95,102
Median Rent
$1,427/mo
Unemployment
2.6%
Violent Crime
261/100k
Watertown-Fort Atkinson
Wisconsin
Median Income
$82,864
Median Rent
$953/mo
Unemployment
2.5%
Violent Crime
289/100k
Appleton
Wisconsin
Median Income
$83,966
Median Rent
$1,087/mo
Unemployment
2.3%
Violent Crime
289/100k
Urban Honolulu
Hawaii
Median Income
$103,131
Median Rent
$2,033/mo
Unemployment
2.6%
Violent Crime
187/100k
Sioux Falls
South Dakota
Median Income
$76,226
Median Rent
$988/mo
Unemployment
1.7%
Violent Crime
350/100k
Logan
Utah
Median Income
$85,111
Median Rent
$1,253/mo
Unemployment
2.4%
Violent Crime
232/100k
Charlottesville
Virginia
Median Income
$92,265
Median Rent
$1,540/mo
Unemployment
2.5%
Violent Crime
236/100k
Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford
Connecticut
Median Income
$92,176
Median Rent
$1,397/mo
Unemployment
3.2%
Violent Crime
150/100k
Putnam
Connecticut
Median Income
$88,806
Median Rent
$1,217/mo
Unemployment
3.3%
Violent Crime
150/100k
Frequently Asked Questions
How competitive is the academic job market?
Extremely competitive in most humanities and social sciences, somewhat less so in STEM and professional fields. Geographic flexibility is nearly a requirement for tenure-track candidates.
Do university towns offer a good quality of life for professors?
Often excellent. College towns frequently rank highly for culture, walkability, and community engagement at below-average housing costs. The tradeoff is less industry diversity outside the university.
Are industry or research positions better-paid than academia?
In most fields yes. Industry researchers and scientists typically earn 30 to 80 percent more than tenure-track faculty in comparable fields, which is why many PhDs now pursue industry careers.