Dive Brief:

• Seattle is the best city for software engineers, data analysts and quality analysts to earn a living, according to a new report from Indeed.
• Indeed calculated the average salary for 15 different tech positions, then compared salaries based on the cost of living in 15 tech hubs around the country, according to Geekwire.
• Other top cities included Austin, TX and San Francisco.

Dive Insight:

Seattle actually came in second for average salary behind Austin, but when Indeed looked at how much money can buy each region, Seattle was the winner. But that might not last for long.

Indeed notes that as tech industries grow, the margin between how much tech employees earn and how much is required to live there tends to shrink. Indeed also notes that the rising cost of living in tech hubs and the growing force of skilled tech workers may mean the salary windfall may not last forever.

For now, the labor market for talented tech personnel is growing increasingly competitive, especially in places with a large concentration of technology companies. In January, Robert Half Technology released its 2016 Salary Guide for Technology Professionals and found there is still more demand than supply for IT professionals, creating a competitive recruiting environment.