The 10 Best States to Make a Living as a Firefighter

Firefighter salaries vary regionally and from state to state. In some areas, firefighters may be paid minimum wage and in others, firefighters earn competitive salaries that allow them to live comfortably. Which states offer firefighters the best rates of compensation?

A high firefighter’s salary doesn’t mean regular paychecks cover the costs of everyday expenses like housing or groceries. How far these first respondeers can stretch a paycheck is a direct reflection of the cost of living where they reside. Gov1 explored which states give the firefighters the best chance to make a good living.

Methodology:

• We took into consideration the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center Cost of Living Data, which compares the average cost of groceries, housing, utilities, transportation, health and miscellaneous costs in each state. This information paints a picture of relative affordability. Unfortunately, there was no cost of living data for New Mexico, so the rankings were out of 49 states: First place is the most affordable, and 49th place is the least affordable (Hawaii, we’re looking at you).
• We also took into consideration salary data as reported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics to find out what the average salary of a firefighter is from place to place.