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
District of Columbia is 22.0% more expensive overall than Kansas.
What a physician's take-home is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Kansas
- Median pay
- $248,050
- After tax
- $167,911
$186,361worth here
District of Columbia
- Median pay
- $154,040
- After tax
- $105,821
$96,288worth 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 | Kansas | District of Columbia |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 90.1 | 109.9 |
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 155.0 |
| Utilities | 88.4 | 112.8 |
| Goods | 94.0 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 93.8 | 103.0 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 5.58% | 10.75% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 8.77% | 6% |
| Property tax (effective) | 1.19% | 0.61% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 2,937,569 | 672,079 |
| Median household income | $72,639 | $106,287 |
| Median age | 37.2 | 34.9 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.90% | 41.10% |
| Median home value | $203,400 | $724,600 |
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.