Pay vs cost of living
How far does a Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic's pay go, state by state?
A Grinding, Lapping, Polishing, and Buffing Machine Tool Setters, Operators, and Tenders, Metal and Plastic's pay leaves the most room in Oregon — about $3,380/mo take-home against $1,431/mo typical rent — and the least in California.
| State | Est. take-home | Typical rent | Rent share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $3,380/mo | $1,431/mo | 42% |
| Vermont | $3,132/mo | $1,207/mo | 39% |
| South Carolina | $3,037/mo | $1,131/mo | 37% |
| Missouri | $2,880/mo | $997/mo | 35% |
| Wisconsin | $2,821/mo | $1,033/mo | 37% |
| West Virginia | $2,604/mo | $848/mo | 33% |
| Pennsylvania | $2,901/mo | $1,176/mo | 41% |
| Michigan | $2,793/mo | $1,072/mo | 38% |
| Arizona | $3,137/mo | $1,419/mo | 45% |
| Indiana | $2,737/mo | $1,022/mo | 37% |
| Iowa | $2,620/mo | $932/mo | 36% |
| Illinois | $2,920/mo | $1,246/mo | 43% |
| Maine | $2,771/mo | $1,104/mo | 40% |
| North Carolina | $2,792/mo | $1,147/mo | 41% |
| Kentucky | $2,555/mo | $918/mo | 36% |
| Mississippi | $2,559/mo | $933/mo | 36% |
| Ohio | $2,609/mo | $986/mo | 38% |
| Arkansas | $2,515/mo | $903/mo | 36% |
| Nebraska | $2,621/mo | $1,017/mo | 39% |
| Tennessee | $2,687/mo | $1,111/mo | 41% |
| Oklahoma | $2,484/mo | $970/mo | 39% |
| Connecticut | $2,996/mo | $1,483/mo | 49% |
| Kansas | $2,523/mo | $1,025/mo | 41% |
| Montana | $2,492/mo | $1,031/mo | 41% |
| Minnesota | $2,667/mo | $1,230/mo | 46% |
| Alabama | $2,391/mo | $967/mo | 40% |
| Louisiana | $2,433/mo | $1,028/mo | 42% |
| New Hampshire | $2,779/mo | $1,424/mo | 51% |
| Idaho | $2,492/mo | $1,163/mo | 47% |
| Virginia | $2,867/mo | $1,547/mo | 54% |
| South Dakota | $2,214/mo | $910/mo | 41% |
| New Mexico | $2,328/mo | $1,034/mo | 44% |
| Massachusetts | $2,980/mo | $1,716/mo | 58% |
| Utah | $2,659/mo | $1,396/mo | 53% |
| Washington | $2,868/mo | $1,641/mo | 57% |
| Colorado | $2,884/mo | $1,659/mo | 58% |
| Rhode Island | $2,511/mo | $1,289/mo | 51% |
| Georgia | $2,539/mo | $1,320/mo | 52% |
| New York | $2,814/mo | $1,621/mo | 58% |
| Texas | $2,464/mo | $1,328/mo | 54% |
| Maryland | $2,783/mo | $1,683/mo | 60% |
| New Jersey | $2,621/mo | $1,656/mo | 63% |
| Nevada | $2,407/mo | $1,478/mo | 61% |
| Florida | $2,436/mo | $1,542/mo | 63% |
| Delaware | $2,154/mo | $1,321/mo | 61% |
| California | $2,774/mo | $1,969/mo | 71% |
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.