What we do
County Paycheck compares what jobs pay with what it costs to live where the job is. For hundreds of occupations in thousands of counties across the 48 contiguous states and Washington, D.C., we start from official wage data, subtract federal, Social Security, Medicare and state taxes, and then subtract rent, food, home energy and gasoline. The result is a clear picture of take-home pay and monthly breathing room.
Why we built it
Headline salaries are easy to find, but they hide the two things that decide how a paycheck feels: taxes and local prices. A nurse earning more in a high-rent county can keep less than a nurse earning less in a cheaper one. We wanted one consistent method that anyone can use to compare places and jobs side by side.
Our principles
- Official data only. Wages come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, rents from HUD, tax statistics from the IRS, energy prices from the EIA, and food costs from the USDA. See the sources page.
- One transparent method. Every page uses the same formulas, documented on the methodology page.
- No invented numbers. If a figure is missing or suppressed in the source data, we leave it out instead of guessing.
- Independent and free. The site is supported by advertising. Ads never change the figures we show.
What the site is not
It is an information and planning tool, not tax, legal or financial advice. Results are estimates for a single filer with wage income only. Your own situation will differ. Please read our terms of use.
Corrections and feedback
Found something that looks wrong, or have a suggestion? Tell us at contact@example.com. Include the page address and what you expected to see, and we will review it.