Salaries in Lynn, MA

Here’s something you don’t hear often: Lynn, Massachusetts, has a lower unemployment rate than the national average, and its top-paying job is a software developer pulling in over $131,000. For a city of 101,000 people just north of Boston, that’s a quiet powerhouse.

But let's talk real money. With a cost of living index of 111.6, your paycheck here buys less than the national average. That software developer's salary, adjusted for local costs, feels more like $118,000. The city's median household income sits at $73,723, but the average salary across all roles is just $56,275—meaning most people are earning closer to $50,000 after you factor in those higher prices.

Who actually thrives here? Beyond tech, healthcare and the trades are solid bets. General Electric has a major footprint, and the proximity to Boston’s medical hub keeps nursing salaries competitive at nearly $89,000. You'll also find skilled electricians and accountants doing well, though their COL-adjusted take-home dips into the high $70,000s. It’s a blue-collar city with a white-collar undercurrent.

The catch? Wages haven’t fully kept pace with the rising cost of living, especially for housing. A one-bedroom apartment averages $2,064 a month. Still, for a single professional or a dual-income household without kids, Lynn can be a financially savvy alternative to Boston’s exorbitant prices.

The numbers below break down exactly who wins, who pays more, and what your salary really means in this evolving city.