What is the best state to be a cleaners of vehicles and equipment?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment: a BLS median of $37,290 is worth $41,918 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 117.8 where the average state is 100.

Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?

Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment at $42,710, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #12 of 51 on real pay (index 105.5). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

Where does a cleaners of vehicles and equipment salary go least far?

Texas ranks last of 51 states for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment: a $29,450 BLS median is worth only $30,343 after tax and cost of living (index 85.3). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

Best States to Be a Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a cleaners of vehicles and equipment salary goes furthest in North Dakota — a $37,290 BLS median worth $41,918 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 117.8).

Which US states are best for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment after cost of living and tax?

For a cleaners of vehicles and equipment, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks North Dakota #1: a $37,290 BLS median becomes $41,918 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 117.8). Texas ranks last ($30,343, index 85.3). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.

Source:U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)·As of May 2025 state estimates · updated annually · last refreshed 19 June 2026

Gera US Real Pay Index

North Dakota ranks #1 of 51 states for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment. Index 100 = the average state; 117.8 means pay goes 17.8% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

117.8

Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	North Dakota	$37,290	—	89.0	$41,918	117.8
2	Nebraska	$37,160	$856	90.1	$40,292	113.3
3	Kansas	$37,370	$1,286	90.1	$40,064	112.6
4	South Dakota	$35,050	—	88.6	$39,566	111.2
5	Vermont	$39,530	$906	98.0	$39,430	110.8
6	Iowa	$35,920	$1,325	87.8	$39,419	110.8
7	Alaska	$40,210	—	102.4	$39,283	110.4
8	Arkansas	$34,970	$1,155	86.9	$38,896	109.3
9	Tennessee	$34,950	—	91.9	$38,043	106.9
10	Ohio	$35,230	$186	92.8	$37,773	106.2
11	Maine	$37,440	$1,003	97.0	$37,545	105.5
12	District of Columbia	$42,710	$1,463	109.9	$37,531	105.5
13	Montana	$36,510	$1,016	94.6	$37,502	105.4
14	Washington	$40,070	—	107.0	$37,444	105.3
15	Colorado	$39,610	$1,083	103.1	$37,386	105.1
16	Missouri	$34,670	$749	90.8	$37,351	105.0
17	Minnesota	$37,580	$1,211	98.6	$36,878	103.7
18	Kentucky	$34,470	$1,248	90.2	$36,848	103.6
19	Wisconsin	$35,280	$793	94.1	$36,652	103.0
20	Wyoming	$33,890	—	92.7	$36,562	102.8
21	Idaho	$35,640	$909	95.5	$36,369	102.2
22	Indiana	$34,940	$1,018	93.3	$36,346	102.2
23	Delaware	$37,440	$1,401	99.8	$36,108	101.5
24	South Carolina	$34,230	$515	93.7	$35,963	101.1
25	New Hampshire	$37,420	—	104.2	$35,924	101.0
26	Rhode Island	$37,340	$800	102.3	$35,725	100.4
27	New York	$39,390	$1,561	107.9	$35,052	98.5
28	Massachusetts	$38,630	$1,712	105.8	$34,909	98.1
29	Arizona	$35,410	$410	100.7	$34,764	97.7
30	North Carolina	$33,470	$881	94.3	$34,550	97.1
31	Pennsylvania	$34,650	$1,064	97.6	$34,422	96.8
32	Oregon	$38,070	$2,527	103.4	$34,387	96.7
33	Illinois	$35,930	$1,637	100.0	$34,307	96.4
34	Nevada	$34,230	—	100.0	$34,237	96.2
35	Oklahoma	$30,880	$929	87.8	$34,096	95.8
36	Michigan	$33,890	$1,194	96.2	$33,982	95.5
37	Connecticut	$35,870	$689	103.6	$33,955	95.4
38	California	$37,920	$529	110.7	$33,771	94.9
39	Utah	$34,900	$1,588	98.9	$33,695	94.7
40	New Jersey	$37,090	$581	108.8	$33,555	94.3
41	Maryland	$36,390	$1,396	105.0	$33,341	93.7
42	Virginia	$34,450	$1,181	101.1	$32,906	92.5
43	Hawaii	$37,560	$1,404	110.0	$32,883	92.4
44	New Mexico	$30,310	$396	92.2	$32,440	91.2
45	Mississippi	$28,640	$455	87.0	$32,414	91.1
46	Florida	$33,380	—	103.4	$32,278	90.7
47	West Virginia	$29,390	$746	89.5	$32,006	90.0
48	Alabama	$29,360	$1,203	88.8	$31,700	89.1
49	Louisiana	$27,600	$453	88.2	$30,776	86.5
50	Georgia	$30,610	$1,003	96.3	$30,747	86.4
51	Texas	$29,450	—	97.1	$30,343	85.3

"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.

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.

Gross annual salary (USD)Compare against state

In North Dakota, a $37,290 salary is worth about $40,870 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $932 (≈ top marginal 2.50% (upper bound)) · take-home $36,358 · BEA cost of living 89.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $42,095, a $1,224 gain over North Dakota.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$42,095	88.6
2	Arkansas	$41,220	86.9
3	Louisiana	$41,007	88.2
4	Mississippi	$40,998	87.0
5	Iowa	$40,875	87.8
6	North Dakota	$40,870	89.0
7	Tennessee	$40,590	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$40,434	87.8
9	Wyoming	$40,230	92.7
10	Alabama	$39,883	88.8
11	Kentucky	$39,706	90.2
12	West Virginia	$39,658	89.5

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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).

Cleaners of Vehicles and Equipment — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a cleaners of vehicles and equipment?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, North Dakota is the best state for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment: a BLS median of $37,290 is worth $41,918 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 89.0), an index of 117.8 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. District of Columbia has the highest headline BLS median for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment at $42,710, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #12 of 51 on real pay (index 105.5). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a cleaners of vehicles and equipment salary go least far?: Texas ranks last of 51 states for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment: a $29,450 BLS median is worth only $30,343 after tax and cost of living (index 85.3). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Related on GeraJobs

Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
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Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); 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 for a cleaners of vehicles and equipment is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.