Americans are fed up with the down economy. Inflation, static wages and job insecurity are all weighing on people this election year. The economy continues to be Issue #1 for most Americans.

Gas prices now average well above $4 a gallon, the unemployment rate hovers at 5%, and the stock market just experienced its worst monthly performance in June since the Great Depression. Many people are worried about the future and need to build up some personal wealth.

So, just how far will you go to build up your safety chest? Salary.com just released the results of its 2008 Salary Value Index (SVI), ranking the best and worst cities in America for building up some financial security. The index looked at local salaries, the cost of living and unemployment rates in medium to large cities, focusing on the relationship between living costs and pay. Here’s what they found.

The best cities to build your personal wealth:
1) Plano, TX is just above the national average in terms of both salary and cost of living. Plano has a very highly educated workforce that has a variety of career options. Cost of living is relatively low, while wages are reasonable.
2) Aurora, CO is the third most populated city in Colorado. Aurora’s economy is booming due to status as a business leader in aerospace, biotechnology and high technology.
3) Omaha, NE remains racially and ethnically diverse. The city’s economy has experienced a boom in the last two decades due to diversification of various industries.

The worst cities to build your personal wealth:
1) New York, NY tops the list. Paychecks don’t stretch very far in the Big Apple.
2) Washington, D.C. may be one of the most sought-after places to live, but like most coastal cities our nation’s capitol is not ideal for building personal wealth.
3) Los Angeles, CA boasts comparable wages (20% above the national average), but cost of living is 60% higher than Louisville, KY. While not quite as expensive as New York, it is almost impossible to live in LA without a car. And cars need gas…

Well, it’s not really a surprise to see the Big Apple at the bottom of the list. How are you supposed to save anything when buying a one-bedroom Manhattan apartment can set you back a million dollars? It’s interesting that little Plano, TX — near Dallas — comes out on top. So the moral of this story is, if you really want to build up some personal wealth, bust out the cowboy hats and head out west!