Nominal salary tells you how much money you receive. Cost-of-living-adjusted salary tells you how much that money can actually buy. A $200,000 salary in San Francisco and a $140,000 salary in Austin can provide nearly identical purchasing power. Tax differences are not included.
Where Should I Live?
Nominal vs COL-Adjusted Salary
| # | Location | Median (Nominal) | COL Index | Adjusted | COL Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Corfu, NE | $35,360 | 90.8 | $38,943 | #1 |
| 2 | Saint Clair, MI | $34,320 | 90.6 | $37,881 | #2 |
| 3 | Fremont, OH | $34,320 | 94.0 | $36,511 | #3 |
| 4 | Ogden, UT | $33,280 | 103.2 | $32,248 | #5 (-1) |
| 5 | West Jordan, UT | $33,280 | 103.2 | $32,248 | #6 (-1) |
| 6 | Saco, MA | $32,032 | 146.5 | $21,865 | #11 (-5) |
| 7 | Methuen, MA | $31,200 | 146.5 | $21,297 | #12 (-5) |
| 8 | Richland Center, WI | $30,971 | 95.1 | $32,567 | #4 (+4) |
| 9 | Middleton, WI | $29,120 | 95.1 | $30,620 | #7 (+2) |
| 10 | Princeton, IL | $27,040 | 92.3 | $29,296 | #8 (+2) |
| 11 | Columbus, OH | $24,856 | 94.0 | $26,443 | #9 (+2) |
| 12 | Indianapolis, IN | $22,942 | 91.0 | $25,211 | #10 (+2) |
| 13 | Sterling, VA | $18,678 | 100.7 | $18,549 | #15 (-2) |
| 14 | Fairfield, OH | $17,451 | 94.0 | $18,565 | #14 |
| 15 | Greenville, SC | $17,222 | 95.3 | $18,072 | #16 (-1) |
| 16 | CLAXTON, GA | $16,952 | 91.0 | $18,629 | #13 (+3) |
Key Insights
- The highest nominal salary for Helpers--Production Workers is in Corfu, NE at $35,360, but after cost-of-living adjustment Corfu, NE offers the best purchasing power at $38,943 equivalent.
- Beware: Saco, MA looks strong at #6 on nominal pay ($32,032) but its high cost of living drops it 5 spots to #11 on purchasing power.
Salary Check
Are you a Helpers--Production Workers wondering if you are underpaid?
Compare your pay against government-filed salary data for this role.