Pay vs cost of living

How far does a Actuary's pay go, state by state?

A Actuary's pay leaves the most room in District of Columbia — about $9,464/mo take-home against $1,900/mo typical rent — and the least in Utah.

StateEst. take-homeTypical rentRent share
District of Columbia$9,464/mo$1,900/mo20%
New York$9,149/mo$1,621/mo18%
New Hampshire$8,876/mo$1,424/mo16%
North Carolina$8,462/mo$1,147/mo14%
Connecticut$8,670/mo$1,483/mo17%
New Jersey$8,821/mo$1,656/mo19%
Massachusetts$8,775/mo$1,716/mo20%
Georgia$8,333/mo$1,320/mo16%
Washington$8,644/mo$1,641/mo19%
Kansas$7,912/mo$1,025/mo13%
Colorado$8,522/mo$1,659/mo19%
Iowa$7,786/mo$932/mo12%
Maine$7,741/mo$1,104/mo14%
Arizona$7,982/mo$1,419/mo18%
Illinois$7,777/mo$1,246/mo16%
Oregon$7,958/mo$1,431/mo18%
Pennsylvania$7,597/mo$1,176/mo15%
Ohio$7,295/mo$986/mo14%
South Dakota$7,071/mo$910/mo13%
Virginia$7,649/mo$1,547/mo20%
Missouri$6,945/mo$997/mo14%
Wisconsin$6,945/mo$1,033/mo15%
California$7,842/mo$1,969/mo25%
Kentucky$6,788/mo$918/mo14%
Nebraska$6,807/mo$1,017/mo15%
Texas$7,070/mo$1,328/mo19%
Alabama$6,631/mo$967/mo15%
Rhode Island$6,948/mo$1,289/mo19%
Minnesota$6,761/mo$1,230/mo18%
Mississippi$6,345/mo$933/mo15%
Florida$6,876/mo$1,542/mo22%
Tennessee$6,363/mo$1,111/mo17%
Maryland$6,854/mo$1,683/mo25%
Nevada$6,535/mo$1,478/mo23%
Michigan$6,061/mo$1,072/mo18%
South Carolina$6,061/mo$1,131/mo19%
Oklahoma$5,593/mo$970/mo17%
Louisiana$5,361/mo$1,028/mo19%
Indiana$5,350/mo$1,022/mo19%
Utah$4,709/mo$1,396/mo30%

Take-home is that state's BLS OEWS 2023 median wage after a rough ~22% tax estimate — a ballpark, not a real paycheck. Rent is population-weighted Census gross rent (utilities included). Neither includes state taxes, insurance, or the cost of moving.

See your own numbers in Headroom