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
New Jersey is 23.4% more expensive overall than Louisiana.
What Obstetrics & Gynecology pay is really worth
Median pay → estimated after-tax take-home → adjusted for each state's cost of living.
Louisiana
- Median pay
- $397,990
- After tax
- $264,361
$299,729worth here
New Jersey
- Median pay
- $222,080
- After tax
- $152,394
$140,068worth here
Pay source: BLS OEWS May 2025 — “Obstetricians and Gynecologists”.
Take-home is an estimate for a single filer taking the standard deduction (federal + FICA + state income tax, wages only) — not tax advice.
| Metric | Louisiana | New Jersey |
|---|---|---|
| Cost of living (US avg = 100) | ||
| Overall cost of living | 88.2 | 108.8 |
| Housing (rent) | 63.1 | 134.3 |
| Utilities | 71.5 | 114.2 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 107.1 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 103.5 |
| Taxes | ||
| Top income tax rate | 3% | 10.75% |
| Sales tax (avg) | 10.12% | 6.60% |
| Property tax (effective) | 0.55% | 1.77% |
| About the state | ||
| Population | 4,621,025 | 9,267,014 |
| Median household income | $60,023 | $101,050 |
| Median age | 37.8 | 40.1 |
| Homeownership rate | 67.30% | 63.70% |
| Median home value | $208,700 | $427,600 |
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.
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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.