GeraJobs / Gera US Real Pay Index
Gera US Real Pay Index
Where does your salary actually go furthest? We take real BLS OEWS median wages and adjust them for 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living (BEA), across 371 occupations and 51 states.
Which US states pay the most after adjusting for cost of living and state income tax?
The Gera US Real Pay Index adjusts each state's BLS OEWS median wage for 2025 state income tax and 2024 BEA cost of living. Across 371 occupations, Washington ranks highest (mean index 113.0, base = 100) and Florida lowest (91.2). GeraJobs re-dates this annually on BLS OEWS release.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Top-ranked state for how far pay goes. Index 100 = the average state; computed from real BLS OEWS, BEA cost of living, and 2025 state income tax.
How this is calculatedStates ranked — where pay goes furthest
| # | State | Cost (RPP) | Income tax | Mean index |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 107.0 | None | 113.0 |
| 2 | North Dakota | 89.0 | 2.50% top | 112.2 |
| 3 | Alaska | 102.4 | None | 109.5 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | 109.9 | 10.75% top | 109.1 |
| 5 | Wyoming | 92.7 | None | 105.5 |
| 6 | South Dakota | 88.6 | None | 105.1 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 98.6 | 9.85% top | 104.7 |
| 8 | Massachusetts | 105.8 | 9.00% top | 104.7 |
| 9 | Iowa | 87.8 | 3.80% flat | 103.9 |
| 10 | Connecticut | 103.6 | 6.99% top | 103.4 |
| 11 | California | 110.7 | 13.30% top | 103.3 |
| 12 | Vermont | 98.0 | 8.75% top | 103.1 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | 94.1 | 7.65% top | 102.7 |
| 14 | Colorado | 103.1 | 4.40% flat | 102.7 |
| 15 | Rhode Island | 102.3 | 5.99% top | 102.6 |
| 16 | Ohio | 92.8 | 3.50% top | 102.0 |
| 17 | Nebraska | 90.1 | 5.20% top | 101.5 |
| 18 | New York | 107.9 | 10.90% top | 101.5 |
| 19 | New Jersey | 108.8 | 10.75% top | 101.1 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | 104.2 | None | 100.9 |
| 21 | Missouri | 90.8 | 4.70% top | 100.8 |
| 22 | New Mexico | 92.2 | 5.90% top | 100.8 |
| 23 | Maine | 97.0 | 7.15% top | 100.5 |
| 24 | Tennessee | 91.9 | None | 100.5 |
| 25 | Nevada | 100.0 | None | 100.5 |
| 26 | Delaware | 99.8 | 6.60% top | 99.5 |
| 27 | Illinois | 100.0 | 4.95% flat | 99.4 |
| 28 | Oregon | 103.4 | 9.90% top | 99.3 |
| 29 | Kansas | 90.1 | 5.58% top | 99.0 |
| 30 | Maryland | 105.0 | 5.75% top | 98.7 |
| 31 | Indiana | 93.3 | 3.00% flat | 98.3 |
| 32 | Montana | 94.6 | 5.90% top | 97.8 |
| 33 | Louisiana | 88.2 | 3.00% flat | 97.8 |
| 34 | Michigan | 96.2 | 4.25% flat | 97.5 |
| 35 | Arizona | 100.7 | 2.50% flat | 97.3 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | 97.6 | 3.07% flat | 97.2 |
| 37 | Kentucky | 90.2 | 4.00% flat | 97.0 |
| 38 | North Carolina | 94.3 | 4.25% flat | 96.8 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | 87.8 | 4.75% top | 96.8 |
| 40 | Texas | 97.1 | None | 96.8 |
| 41 | Virginia | 101.1 | 5.75% top | 96.5 |
| 42 | Idaho | 95.5 | 5.70% flat | 95.9 |
| 43 | Hawaii | 110.0 | 11.00% top | 95.6 |
| 44 | Alabama | 88.8 | 5.00% top | 95.0 |
| 45 | South Carolina | 93.7 | 6.20% top | 94.7 |
| 46 | Georgia | 96.3 | 5.39% flat | 94.6 |
| 47 | Utah | 98.9 | 4.55% flat | 94.4 |
| 48 | West Virginia | 89.5 | 4.82% top | 93.6 |
| 49 | Arkansas | 86.9 | 3.90% top | 92.7 |
| 50 | Mississippi | 87.0 | 4.40% flat | 92.7 |
| 51 | Florida | 103.4 | None | 91.2 |
Mean index = the average Gera US Real Pay Index across all 371 occupations BLS publishes for the state. 100 = the average state.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Washington, a $85,000 salary is worth about $79,430 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $85,000 · BEA cost of living 107.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $95,952, a $16,522 gain over Washington.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $95,952 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $93,959 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $93,473 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $93,453 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $93,172 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $93,161 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $92,522 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $92,167 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $91,703 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $90,911 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $90,507 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $90,397 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Gera US Real Pay Index — FAQ
- What is the Gera US Real Pay Index?
- The Gera US Real Pay Index (GRPI) measures how far a salary actually goes in each US state. For an occupation in a state it takes the BLS OEWS median wage, subtracts the 2025 state income tax (single filer), divides by the state's 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (cost of living, US = 100), then indexes the result to the average state at 100. Above 100 means your pay goes further; below 100 means it goes less far. The full method is published on the methodology page.
- Why use cost of living and state tax instead of the headline salary?
- A $100,000 salary in Washington and $100,000 in Florida do not buy the same life. Housing, goods and services cost different amounts by state (BEA Regional Price Parities), and some states levy no income tax while others take over 10% at the top. The Gera US Real Pay Index combines both so the figures are purchasing-power-equivalent and directly comparable.
- Which states have no income tax?
- Eight states levy no individual income tax on wages — Alaska, Florida, Nevada, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington and Wyoming (New Hampshire fully phased out its interest-and-dividends tax in 2025). No income tax lifts take-home pay, but a low-tax state can still rank poorly if its cost of living is high — which is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index captures.
- Is this based on real data?
- Yes. Wages are real BLS OEWS May 2025 state medians (US federal public domain); cost of living is the real 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity for each state; tax is the 2025 statutory state income tax schedule. Suppressed BLS cells are excluded, never set to zero, and nothing is interpolated. Only the composite (real take-home and the index) is computed by GeraJobs, transparently.
Best states by occupation
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck DriversAlaska
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and ExecutiveConnecticut
- Software DevelopersWashington
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, GeneralAlaska
- Accountants and AuditorsDistrict of Columbia
- Nursing AssistantsNorth Dakota
- First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support WorkersNorth Dakota
- Teaching Assistants, Except PostsecondaryMaine
- Cooks, RestaurantVermont
- Miscellaneous Assemblers and FabricatorsIowa
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special EducationWashington
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing ClerksDistrict of Columbia
- Security GuardsDistrict of Columbia
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and TravelNew York
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific ProductsSouth Dakota
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving WorkersWashington
- First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales WorkersSouth Dakota
- Construction LaborersHawaii
- Business Operations Specialists, All OtherAlabama
- Project Management SpecialistsWashington
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical EducationWashington
- Light Truck DriversAlaska
- Medical Secretaries and Administrative AssistantsWashington
- Landscaping and Groundskeeping WorkersAlaska
- Human Resources SpecialistsDistrict of Columbia
- Receptionists and Information ClerksNorth Dakota
- Market Research Analysts and Marketing SpecialistsDelaware
- Management AnalystsMassachusetts
- Food Preparation WorkersNorth Dakota
- Maids and Housekeeping CleanersNevada
- Financial ManagersNew York
- Medical AssistantsWashington
- Shipping, Receiving, and Inventory ClerksNorth Dakota
- First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction WorkersWashington
- Industrial Truck and Tractor OperatorsDistrict of Columbia
- ElectriciansIllinois
- BartendersHawaii
- LawyersNew York
- Computer User Support SpecialistsWashington
- Automotive Service Technicians and MechanicsNorth Dakota
- First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating WorkersWyoming
- Computer and Information Systems ManagersWashington
- Police and Sheriff's Patrol OfficersCalifornia
- CarpentersIllinois
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational NursesAlaska
- Cooks, Fast FoodHawaii
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo HandlingWyoming
- Sales ManagersNew York
Showing 60 of 371 occupations. Each page ranks every state by real, cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted pay.
Get the Gera US Real Pay Index when BLS refreshes OEWS
BLS OEWS and BEA cost-of-living data update roughly once a year. Save your email and we’ll send the refreshed real-pay rankings.
Learn more
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation, with worked examples.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.