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
Maryland is 19.6% more expensive overall than Iowa.
What Orthopedic Surgery pay is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Iowa
- Median pay
- $294,930
- After tax
- $200,151
$227,962worth here
Maryland
BLS doesn't publish a wage for Orthopedic Surgery in Maryland. Cost of living and taxes below still apply.
Pay source: BLS OEWS May 2025 — “Orthopedic Surgeons, Except Pediatric”.
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Iowa | Maryland |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 87.8 | 105.0 |
| Housing (rent) | 65.3 | 121.1 |
| Utilities | 83.3 | 110.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 101.6 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 3.80% | 5.75% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 6.94% | 6% |
| Property tax (effective) | 1.23% | 0.90% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 3,195,937 | 6,170,738 |
| Median household income | $73,147 | $101,652 |
| Median age | 38.6 | 39.3 |
| Homeownership rate | 71.50% | 67.50% |
| Median home value | $195,900 | $397,700 |
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.