Cost of living by state
Weighing a move? Compare any two states side by side — cost of living, taxes, and demographics — and see what a physician, NP, or PA 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
Tennessee is 8.1% cheaper overall than Illinois.
What a physician's take-home is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Illinois
- Median pay
- $220,020
- After tax
- $152,171
$152,171worth here
Tennessee
- Median pay
- $312,220
- After tax
- $222,190
$241,774worth here
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Illinois | Tennessee |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 100.0 | 91.9 |
| Housing (rent) | 93.9 | 79.1 |
| Utilities | 85.0 | 72.1 |
| Goods | 103.8 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 100.2 | 95.1 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 4.95% | 0% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 8.89% | 9.56% |
| Property tax (effective) | 1.83% | 0.49% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 12,692,653 | 6,986,082 |
| Median household income | $81,702 | $67,097 |
| Median age | 38.9 | 38.9 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.80% | 67% |
| Median home value | $250,500 | $256,800 |
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.