Cost of living by state
Weighing a move? Compare any two states side by side — cost of living, taxes, and demographics — then pick your specialty to see what that salary is really worth once it's adjusted for local prices. Green means cheaper or better; red means pricier or worse.
Overall cost of living
Delaware is 3.2% cheaper overall than Colorado.
What Other surgical specialties pay is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Colorado
- Median pay
- $311,400
- After tax
- $208,635
$202,362worth here
Delaware
BLS doesn't publish a wage for Other surgical specialties in Delaware. Cost of living and taxes below still apply.
Pay source: BLS OEWS May 2024 — “Surgeons, All Other”.
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Colorado | Delaware |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 103.1 | 99.8 |
| Housing (rent) | 127.4 | 102.0 |
| Utilities | 85.0 | 103.8 |
| Goods | 98.7 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 101.2 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 4.40% | 6.60% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 7.86% | 0% |
| Property tax (effective) | 0.50% | 0.50% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 5,810,774 | 1,005,872 |
| Median household income | $92,470 | $82,855 |
| Median age | 37.5 | 41.5 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.30% | 72.30% |
| Median home value | $502,200 | $326,800 |
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities (2024) · U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts · Tax Foundation. Figures are the latest published; cost-of-living is a price-level index, not tax-adjusted take-home pay.
Browse all state profiles
VitalPost shows sourced, public data for context only — it isn't financial or tax advice. Cost-of-living is a price-level index (US average = 100); taxes shown are statewide/averaged and don't capture local income or the specifics of your situation.