Research preview · consistent scenario comparison

Real Pay Atlas

See what each state's occupational median could look like after modeled federal, FICA, and state income taxes, then compare nominal dollars with a BEA regional-price adjustment.

A regional benchmark, not your personal budget. The BEA RPP adjustment normalizes general state price levels. It does not model your housing choice, household needs, benefits, local taxes, or spending pattern.

Cross-state decision table

One occupation. Fifty states and DC.

Each row applies the same filing scenario to that state's BLS median wage, then shows nominal take-home beside a BEA regional-price adjustment.

Wage coverage51 of 51
Highest nominal take-homeCA · $98,172
Highest regional price-adjusted equivalentWA · $89,855
Registered Nurses state pay ledger, ordered by regional price-adjusted take-home equivalent
# State BLS median wage Estimated annual take-home Regional price-adjusted equivalent Take-home per check Modeled tax rate BEA RPP
1 WashingtonWA $124,200 $96,157 $89,855 $3,698 22.6% 107.0 Open paycheck
2 CaliforniaCA $140,270 $98,172 $88,667 $3,776 30.0% 110.7 Open paycheck
3 HawaiiHI $136,320 $95,593 $86,942 $3,677 29.9% 110.0 Open paycheck
4 OregonOR $129,010 $88,717 $85,832 $3,412 31.2% 103.4 Open paycheck
5 AlaskaAK $109,480 $85,849 $83,871 $3,302 21.6% 102.4 Open paycheck
6 NevadaNV $103,670 $81,762 $81,779 $3,145 21.1% 100.0 Open paycheck
7 TexasTX $95,970 $76,345 $78,660 $2,936 20.4% 97.1 Open paycheck
8 New MexicoNM $94,340 $71,906 $77,979 $2,766 23.8% 92.2 Open paycheck
9 WisconsinWI $95,530 $72,353 $76,893 $2,783 24.3% 94.1 Open paycheck
10 ArizonaAZ $99,500 $76,550 $76,035 $2,944 23.1% 100.7 Open paycheck
11 MinnesotaMN $101,510 $74,863 $75,910 $2,879 26.3% 98.6 Open paycheck
12 New HampshireNH $99,700 $78,969 $75,811 $3,037 20.8% 104.2 Open paycheck
13 PennsylvaniaPA $96,430 $73,708 $75,542 $2,835 23.6% 97.6 Open paycheck
14 VermontVT $97,460 $73,421 $74,951 $2,824 24.7% 98.0 Open paycheck
15 Rhode IslandRI $100,640 $76,452 $74,747 $2,940 24.0% 102.3 Open paycheck
16 New YorkNY $109,440 $80,404 $74,503 $3,092 26.5% 107.9 Open paycheck
17 ConnecticutCT $102,740 $77,032 $74,348 $2,963 25.0% 103.6 Open paycheck
18 MichiganMI $94,300 $71,413 $74,221 $2,747 24.3% 96.2 Open paycheck
19 DelawareDE $99,520 $73,461 $73,602 $2,825 26.2% 99.8 Open paycheck
20 ColoradoCO $100,260 $75,660 $73,419 $2,910 24.5% 103.1 Open paycheck
21 North DakotaND $80,730 $65,309 $73,414 $2,512 19.1% 89.0 Open paycheck
22 IdahoID $92,460 $70,084 $73,390 $2,696 24.2% 95.5 Open paycheck
23 MassachusettsMA $104,550 $77,373 $73,162 $2,976 26.0% 105.8 Open paycheck
24 GeorgiaGA $93,550 $70,410 $73,121 $2,708 24.7% 96.3 Open paycheck
25 WyomingWY $83,760 $67,755 $73,098 $2,606 19.1% 92.7 Open paycheck
26 OklahomaOK $82,920 $63,978 $72,833 $2,461 22.8% 87.8 Open paycheck
27 New JerseyNJ $106,500 $79,157 $72,751 $3,044 25.7% 108.8 Open paycheck
28 NebraskaNE $84,730 $65,286 $72,457 $2,511 22.9% 90.1 Open paycheck
29 TennesseeTN $81,500 $66,165 $72,021 $2,545 18.8% 91.9 Open paycheck
30 South DakotaSD $78,060 $63,745 $71,959 $2,452 18.3% 88.6 Open paycheck
31 IllinoisIL $95,990 $71,752 $71,782 $2,760 25.3% 100.0 Open paycheck
32 LouisianaLA $80,230 $63,251 $71,708 $2,433 21.2% 88.2 Open paycheck
33 MarylandMD $99,790 $74,656 $71,129 $2,871 25.2% 105.0 Open paycheck
34 ArkansasAR $78,940 $61,469 $70,706 $2,364 22.1% 86.9 Open paycheck
35 OhioOH $82,510 $65,389 $70,482 $2,515 20.8% 92.8 Open paycheck
36 IowaIA $78,630 $61,770 $70,384 $2,376 21.4% 87.8 Open paycheck
37 KentuckyKY $81,040 $63,123 $70,013 $2,428 22.1% 90.2 Open paycheck
38 MissouriMO $81,780 $63,429 $69,843 $2,440 22.4% 90.8 Open paycheck
39 MississippiMS $77,090 $60,711 $69,821 $2,335 21.2% 87.0 Open paycheck
40 IndianaIN $83,500 $65,139 $69,794 $2,505 22.0% 93.3 Open paycheck
41 West VirginiaWV $80,130 $62,274 $69,582 $2,395 22.3% 89.5 Open paycheck
42 VirginiaVA $93,600 $70,110 $69,344 $2,697 25.1% 101.1 Open paycheck
43 North CarolinaNC $84,350 $65,313 $69,242 $2,512 22.6% 94.3 Open paycheck
44 MontanaMT $85,280 $65,367 $69,066 $2,514 23.4% 94.6 Open paycheck
45 Washington DCDC $102,540 $75,219 $68,443 $2,893 26.6% 109.9 Open paycheck
46 KansasKS $79,320 $61,005 $67,732 $2,346 23.1% 90.1 Open paycheck
47 MaineME $86,990 $65,303 $67,288 $2,512 24.9% 97.0 Open paycheck
48 South CarolinaSC $82,360 $62,986 $67,186 $2,423 23.5% 93.7 Open paycheck
49 AlabamaAL $77,080 $59,467 $66,950 $2,287 22.9% 88.8 Open paycheck
50 FloridaFL $84,190 $68,058 $65,811 $2,618 19.2% 103.4 Open paycheck
51 UtahUT $84,600 $64,539 $65,281 $2,482 23.7% 98.9 Open paycheck

What is missing: P10, P25, P75, P90, employment, and location quotient are not loaded in this prototype. “Median” is not a minimum, starting salary, ceiling, or senior salary.

Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025, retrieved 2026-09-02. Regional prices: BEA SARPP, 2024, retrieved 2026-09-02; Index; United States equals 100. Adjusted equivalent = nominal take-home × 100 ÷ state RPP. It is a regional price-level normalization, not a personal cost-of-living budget.

How to read the atlas

A row starts with the BLS median for that occupation and state. PaycheckForge applies the same filing status, frequency, and zero 401(k) contribution to every row. The regional price-adjusted equivalent then divides nominal annual take-home by the state's BEA RPP and multiplies by 100.

A higher result does not prove a better place to live. RPP is a broad regional price-level measure—not a personal cost-of-living score. The next evidence layer still needs official wage percentiles, employment concentration, metro data, and household-specific budgets.

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