What is the best state to be a home health and personal care aides?

By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Washington is the best state for a home health and personal care aides: a BLS median of $47,730 is worth $44,602 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.0), an index of 127.3 where the average state is 100.

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

Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a home health and personal care aides at $47,730, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 127.3). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.

Where does a home health and personal care aides salary go least far?

Texas ranks last of 51 states for a home health and personal care aides: a $24,230 BLS median is worth only $24,965 after tax and cost of living (index 71.2). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.

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Best States to Be a Home Health and Personal Care Aides

After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a home health and personal care aides salary goes furthest in Washington — a $47,730 BLS median worth $44,602 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 127.3).

Which US states are best for a home health and personal care aides after cost of living and tax?

For a home health and personal care aides, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Washington #1: a $47,730 BLS median becomes $44,602 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 127.3). Texas ranks last ($24,965, index 71.2). 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

Washington ranks #1 of 51 states for a home health and personal care aides. Index 100 = the average state; 127.3 means pay goes 27.3% further after tax and cost of living.

How this is calculated

127.3

Home Health and Personal Care Aides — real pay by state (best first)

#	State	BLS median	State tax	Cost (RPP)	Real pay	Index
1	Washington	$47,730	—	107.0	$44,602	127.3
2	North Dakota	$39,440	—	89.0	$44,335	126.5
3	South Dakota	$37,740	—	88.6	$42,603	121.6
4	Rhode Island	$43,680	$1,038	102.3	$41,691	118.9
5	Vermont	$41,600	$975	98.0	$41,472	118.3
6	Oregon	$44,410	$3,082	103.4	$39,984	114.1
7	Iowa	$36,080	$1,331	87.8	$39,595	113.0
8	Nebraska	$36,150	$805	90.1	$39,227	111.9
9	Kentucky	$36,440	$1,327	90.2	$38,946	111.1
10	Alaska	$39,740	—	102.4	$38,824	110.8
11	Maine	$38,580	$1,069	97.0	$38,651	110.3
12	Wisconsin	$36,340	$839	94.1	$37,728	107.6
13	Minnesota	$38,370	$1,253	98.6	$37,636	107.4
14	Montana	$36,630	$1,023	94.6	$37,622	107.3
15	District of Columbia	$42,700	$1,462	109.9	$37,523	107.1
16	New Hampshire	$38,760	—	104.2	$37,210	106.2
17	Ohio	$34,460	$165	92.8	$36,966	105.5
18	Massachusetts	$40,910	$1,826	105.8	$36,957	105.4
19	Connecticut	$38,990	$830	103.6	$36,831	105.1
20	Indiana	$35,060	$1,022	93.3	$36,471	104.1
21	Colorado	$38,540	$1,036	103.1	$36,394	103.8
22	Illinois	$38,060	$1,743	100.0	$36,332	103.7
23	Wyoming	$33,190	—	92.7	$35,807	102.2
24	Arizona	$36,420	$436	100.7	$35,743	102.0
25	Missouri	$33,080	$674	90.8	$35,683	101.8
26	Idaho	$34,790	$861	95.5	$35,530	101.4
27	New York	$39,620	$1,574	107.9	$35,253	100.6
28	Michigan	$35,000	$1,241	96.2	$35,086	100.1
29	Tennessee	$32,130	—	91.9	$34,973	99.8
30	Maryland	$38,040	$1,474	105.0	$34,838	99.4
31	Utah	$35,880	$1,633	98.9	$34,641	98.8
32	Nevada	$33,670	—	100.0	$33,677	96.1
33	Kansas	$31,260	$962	90.1	$33,639	96.0
34	New Jersey	$37,090	$581	108.8	$33,555	95.7
35	Hawaii	$38,110	$1,442	110.0	$33,350	95.2
36	Delaware	$34,320	$1,228	99.8	$33,156	94.6
37	Florida	$33,800	—	103.4	$32,684	93.3
38	North Carolina	$31,240	$786	94.3	$32,286	92.1
39	South Carolina	$30,110	$347	93.7	$31,748	90.6
40	Arkansas	$27,660	$870	86.9	$30,815	87.9
41	Oklahoma	$27,710	$779	87.8	$30,659	87.5
42	California	$34,320	$385	110.7	$30,650	87.4
43	New Mexico	$28,520	$339	92.2	$30,561	87.2
44	West Virginia	$28,010	$700	89.5	$30,515	87.1
45	Alabama	$27,840	$1,127	88.8	$30,074	85.8
46	Georgia	$29,270	$931	96.3	$29,430	84.0
47	Pennsylvania	$29,420	$903	97.6	$29,226	83.4
48	Virginia	$30,300	$943	101.1	$29,037	82.8
49	Mississippi	$23,860	$245	87.0	$27,159	77.5
50	Louisiana	$22,520	$301	88.2	$25,190	71.9
51	Texas	$24,230	—	97.1	$24,965	71.2

"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 Washington, a $47,730 salary is worth about $44,602 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.

State income tax $0 (no state income tax) · take-home $47,730 · BEA cost of living 107.0 (US = 100).

The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $53,880, a $9,278 gain over Washington.

#	State	Real value	Cost (RPP)
1	South Dakota	$53,880	88.6
2	Arkansas	$52,761	86.9
3	Louisiana	$52,488	88.2
4	Mississippi	$52,476	87.0
5	Iowa	$52,319	87.8
6	North Dakota	$52,313	89.0
7	Tennessee	$51,954	91.9
8	Oklahoma	$51,755	87.8
9	Wyoming	$51,494	92.7
10	Alabama	$51,049	88.8
11	Kentucky	$50,822	90.2
12	West Virginia	$50,761	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).

Home Health and Personal Care Aides — real pay FAQ

What is the best state to be a home health and personal care aides?: By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Washington is the best state for a home health and personal care aides: a BLS median of $47,730 is worth $44,602 after the 2025 state income tax ($0) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 107.0), an index of 127.3 where the average state is 100.
Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?: Not necessarily. Washington has the highest headline BLS median for a home health and personal care aides at $47,730, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 127.3). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
Where does a home health and personal care aides salary go least far?: Texas ranks last of 51 states for a home health and personal care aides: a $24,230 BLS median is worth only $24,965 after tax and cost of living (index 71.2). 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 home health and personal care aides is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.