What is the best state to live in as a lawyer?

Asked by: Gust Gorczany  |  Last update: November 6, 2025
Score: 4.3/5 (45 votes)

1. New York. New York offers a compelling mix of professional and lifestyle advantages for lawyers. It's not only a bustling, diverse metropolis but also a leading financial center, rivaling London and drawing a myriad of international firms and talent.

What is the best state to work as a lawyer?

California took the top ranking, showcasing an impressive 87,000 job vacancies for legal professionals. A bustling hub of economic and cultural activity, California has emerged as a lucrative destination for lawyers, making it the state with the highest demand for this profession.

Where is the best place for lawyers to live?

Some of the best cities for lawyers in the US, such as New York, Washington, D.C., and San Francisco, offer high-paying opportunities and access to prestigious law firms, making them attractive destinations for legal professionals.

How to make $500,000 a year as a lawyer?

How can a lawyer make 500k a year?
  1. Create an SEO for Lawyers Strategy.
  2. Build a Solid Law Firm Website.
  3. Write Engaging Attorney Content.
  4. Start a Lawyer PPC Campaign.
  5. Register Your Law Firm in Relevant Listings and Directories.
  6. Engage in Reputation Management for Lawyers.

What state pays lawyers the most?

Best-Paying States for Lawyers

The states and districts that pay Lawyers the highest mean salary are District of Columbia ($238,990), California ($213,860), Delaware ($212,360), New York ($208,480), and Connecticut ($195,730). How Much Do Lawyers Make in Your City? See current salary offers for jobs in your field.

Top 10 Cities for Lawyers (Buying Power Index!)

32 related questions found

Where do most lawyers live in the US?

Lawyers by state

One-fourth of all the lawyers in the country are in just two states: New York (187,656 lawyers) and California (175,883 lawyers). Combined, they have 28% of the nation's lawyers, according to the 2024 ABA National Lawyer Population Survey. North Dakota has the fewest lawyers among the 50 states: 1,663.

What is the hardest state to become a lawyer?

California is widely considered to have the hardest bar exam, due to its low pass rate and the difficulty of the content and constraints of the exam.

Can lawyers make 7 figures?

Corporate Lawyer (Partner)

Though that's far from pocket change, it's certainly not landing you in the earnings tier of a millionaire. That said, corporate lawyers generally stand to make the most and can pull in seven figures a year — if they make partner.

Is 700k a good salary?

Earning $700,000 a year would put your household in the top 1% nationwide — and well above the middle class — and in any state in the South or Midwest. But that still won't cut it in seven states. The Northeast dominates the rankings, with five of the 10 states with the highest 1% thresholds lying in this region.

What jobs pay $500,000 a year in Canada?

500k salary jobs
  • Family Physician *Relocation Opportunity* ...
  • Senior Account Executive - Enterprise Software and Services. ...
  • Family Physician - Prevention Medicine. ...
  • Real Estate Development - Architecture Leadership Positions. ...
  • Business Development Representative. ...
  • Strengthen your profile.

Is Canada a good place for lawyers?

As in many other countries, lawyers in Canada are considered a prestigious, stable, and lucrative career. Lawyers are one of the most highly paid professions in the country, along with doctors, accountants, and engineers, with a yearly average of $126,595.

What state has the most demand for lawyers?

Top 10 U.S. States with the Highest Interest in Lawyers in 2024
  • North Carolina. North Carolina stands strong at number 1 with 252.87 monthly searches per 100,000 residents. ...
  • Colorado. ...
  • Nevada. ...
  • Connecticut. ...
  • Florida. ...
  • South Carolina. ...
  • Georgia. ...
  • Oregon.

Which country is best to live as a lawyer?

The top countries which offer the highest average Lawyer's salary are the USA, Germany, Canada, the UK, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Ireland, and Switzerland. The legal field presents numerous opportunities for skilled professionals to create significant impacts locally and globally.

Where's the best place to live as a lawyer?

1. New York. New York offers a compelling mix of professional and lifestyle advantages for lawyers. It's not only a bustling, diverse metropolis but also a leading financial center, rivaling London and drawing a myriad of international firms and talent.

What type of lawyer is highest in demand?

Some of the most universally in-demand legal specialties include intellectual property law, family law, immigration law, real estate law, and corporate law. Other quickly growing areas of law also include intellectual property law, data privacy and cybersecurity law, litigation, and labor and employment law.

Where is the easiest state to become a lawyer?

Statistically speaking, Oklahoma has one of the easiest bar exams based on first-time passing rates. Nearly 87% of first-time exam takers pass the Oklahoma state bar exam. In comparison, California has a much lower first-time passing rate at 58.1%.

Can I afford a 700k house with 100k salary?

To afford a $700,000 house, you typically need an annual income between $175,000 to $235,000, depending on your financial situation, down payment, credit score, and current market conditions. However, this is a general range, and your specific circumstances will determine the exact income required.

What is the 1% salary?

How Much Does the Top 1% Make? According to data from the Social Security Administration, you need to make $794,129 annually to be in the top 1% of wage earners in the United States. This is based on an analysis of 2023 wage data, the most recent available.

Is a 200k salary considered rich?

Is $200,000 a Year Considered Rich? There's no standard definition of “rich,” though most people would certainly consider a single person making $200,000 to be well-off. But again, where you live — and the cost of living there — play a role. Another way to think about what “rich” means is to calculate your net worth.

Do lawyers make 200k a year?

The median starting salary is $215,000 in 11 cities and geographic areas. They are Austin, Texas; Boston; Chicago; Dallas; Houston; Los Angeles/Orange County, California; New York City; San Diego; San Francisco; Silicon Valley in California; and the Washington, D.C., area.

How much do the top 1% of lawyers make?

— How do we know how much do lawyers make? Well, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary for attorneys in the US is just over $125,000. The highest-paid lawyers (10% of the legal workforce) make over $208,000 However, the top 1% of attorneys make $500,000 or more per year.

Can a lawyer be a millionaire?

Regions that are financial and business hubs, like New York, California, and Washington D.C., boast a significant portion of the lawyer millionaire demographic.

Is the bar exam actually hard?

The bar exam is hard. In fact, it may be one of the most difficult challenges you ever embark on. You must memorize numerous laws and consume a lot of knowledge to answer questions correctly. For many, it feels like trying to hold sand in your hands, knowing that you'll inevitably lose much of it.

Which year of a law degree is the hardest?

Law school is an academic challenge; most students agree the first year (“1L” year) is the most difficult. In part, this is because law school is taught using methods entirely different than the lecture method used in most college classrooms.

Is it harder to become a lawyer than a doctor?

It takes less time to become a lawyer than it does to become a medical doctor. Therefore, by that metric alone, it's easier to become a lawyer than a medical doctor.