Pay vs cost of living

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

A Roofer's pay leaves the most room in Illinois — about $4,125/mo take-home against $1,246/mo typical rent — and the least in Florida.

StateEst. take-homeTypical rentRent share
Illinois$4,125/mo$1,246/mo30%
Minnesota$4,096/mo$1,230/mo30%
Massachusetts$4,505/mo$1,716/mo38%
Alaska$4,142/mo$1,361/mo33%
Connecticut$4,005/mo$1,483/mo37%
New Jersey$3,993/mo$1,656/mo41%
Ohio$3,316/mo$986/mo30%
New York$3,939/mo$1,621/mo41%
Washington$3,951/mo$1,641/mo42%
Michigan$3,351/mo$1,072/mo32%
North Dakota$3,150/mo$911/mo29%
Indiana$3,235/mo$1,022/mo32%
Iowa$3,107/mo$932/mo30%
Vermont$3,356/mo$1,207/mo36%
California$4,114/mo$1,969/mo48%
Montana$3,164/mo$1,031/mo33%
Kentucky$3,050/mo$918/mo30%
Wisconsin$3,153/mo$1,033/mo33%
Missouri$3,115/mo$997/mo32%
Arkansas$2,967/mo$903/mo30%
Kansas$3,087/mo$1,025/mo33%
Delaware$3,372/mo$1,321/mo39%
Maine$3,116/mo$1,104/mo35%
Nebraska$2,986/mo$1,017/mo34%
Pennsylvania$3,142/mo$1,176/mo37%
Nevada$3,433/mo$1,478/mo43%
Hawaii$3,855/mo$1,927/mo50%
Alabama$2,883/mo$967/mo34%
Maryland$3,588/mo$1,683/mo47%
Idaho$3,054/mo$1,163/mo38%
North Carolina$3,037/mo$1,147/mo38%
District of Columbia$3,731/mo$1,900/mo51%
Arizona$3,245/mo$1,419/mo44%
Louisiana$2,815/mo$1,028/mo37%
Utah$3,171/mo$1,396/mo44%
Oregon$3,182/mo$1,431/mo45%
Colorado$3,381/mo$1,659/mo49%
New Hampshire$3,128/mo$1,424/mo46%
Oklahoma$2,665/mo$970/mo36%
Tennessee$2,802/mo$1,111/mo40%
New Mexico$2,723/mo$1,034/mo38%
Georgia$2,945/mo$1,320/mo45%
Texas$2,934/mo$1,328/mo45%
South Dakota$2,500/mo$910/mo36%
Mississippi$2,497/mo$933/mo37%
South Carolina$2,693/mo$1,131/mo42%
Virginia$3,088/mo$1,547/mo50%
West Virginia$2,389/mo$848/mo35%
Wyoming$2,517/mo$979/mo39%
Florida$3,032/mo$1,542/mo51%

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