Pay vs cost of living
How far does a Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender's pay go, state by state?
A Paper Goods Machine Setters, Operators, and Tender's pay leaves the most room in Louisiana — about $4,134/mo take-home against $1,028/mo typical rent — and the least in Arizona.
| State | Est. take-home | Typical rent | Rent share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $4,134/mo | $1,028/mo | 25% |
| Oklahoma | $3,878/mo | $970/mo | 25% |
| Wisconsin | $3,487/mo | $1,033/mo | 30% |
| Kentucky | $3,314/mo | $918/mo | 28% |
| Iowa | $3,221/mo | $932/mo | 29% |
| Maine | $3,389/mo | $1,104/mo | 33% |
| Idaho | $3,363/mo | $1,163/mo | 35% |
| Alabama | $3,134/mo | $967/mo | 31% |
| Ohio | $3,041/mo | $986/mo | 32% |
| Arkansas | $2,952/mo | $903/mo | 31% |
| Mississippi | $2,951/mo | $933/mo | 32% |
| South Carolina | $3,149/mo | $1,131/mo | 36% |
| Minnesota | $3,247/mo | $1,230/mo | 38% |
| Missouri | $3,007/mo | $997/mo | 33% |
| Nebraska | $3,012/mo | $1,017/mo | 34% |
| Washington | $3,635/mo | $1,641/mo | 45% |
| Indiana | $2,986/mo | $1,022/mo | 34% |
| Michigan | $3,021/mo | $1,072/mo | 35% |
| Pennsylvania | $3,048/mo | $1,176/mo | 39% |
| Tennessee | $2,982/mo | $1,111/mo | 37% |
| South Dakota | $2,738/mo | $910/mo | 33% |
| Georgia | $3,062/mo | $1,320/mo | 43% |
| Oregon | $3,121/mo | $1,431/mo | 46% |
| Kansas | $2,712/mo | $1,025/mo | 38% |
| North Carolina | $2,828/mo | $1,147/mo | 41% |
| Rhode Island | $2,922/mo | $1,289/mo | 44% |
| Connecticut | $3,110/mo | $1,483/mo | 48% |
| Illinois | $2,872/mo | $1,246/mo | 43% |
| Utah | $2,974/mo | $1,396/mo | 47% |
| Florida | $3,116/mo | $1,542/mo | 49% |
| New York | $3,192/mo | $1,621/mo | 51% |
| Texas | $2,829/mo | $1,328/mo | 47% |
| Virginia | $3,032/mo | $1,547/mo | 51% |
| New Hampshire | $2,857/mo | $1,424/mo | 50% |
| Colorado | $3,043/mo | $1,659/mo | 55% |
| Massachusetts | $3,078/mo | $1,716/mo | 56% |
| New Jersey | $2,945/mo | $1,656/mo | 56% |
| Maryland | $2,802/mo | $1,683/mo | 60% |
| California | $3,062/mo | $1,969/mo | 64% |
| Arizona | $2,511/mo | $1,419/mo | 57% |
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.