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Trade Salaries vs Rent by Metro
Compare HVAC, plumbing and welding wages with local rent benchmarks.
Median gross wages · constructed rent benchmarks · before taxes and other living costs
Explore the map and calculator ↓Loading interactive controls. The saved example and source data are available below.
Saved example: HVAC technicians · 2 bedrooms. Change the inputs to calculate your own comparison.
386 points shown; 386 places in this view. Dot colors run from lower teal values to higher rust values; gray means unavailable. Exact values follow in the table.
Raleigh-Cary, NC
HVAC technicians · 2 bedrooms
- Median annual gross wage
- $58,900
- Median hourly wage
- $28.32
- Monthly gross pay minus rent
- $3,219
- Rent as a share of median gross pay
- 34.4%
The remainder subtracts the selected rent benchmark from median annual gross pay divided by 12. Taxes, healthcare, transportation, debt and other costs still come out of that amount. It is not take-home pay or a job offer.
| Occupation | Median annual wage | Median hourly wage | Employment | Monthly gross pay minus rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HVAC technicians | $58,900 | $28.32 | 2,550 | $3,219 |
| Plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters | $60,540 | $29.10 | 2,810 | $3,356 |
| Welders, cutters, solderers and brazers | $56,940 | $27.37 | 1,090 | $3,056 |
ACS renter-household-weighted county HUD benchmarks. 3 of 3 BLS-defined counties matched. $1,689 monthly rent is a constructed metro benchmark, not a published HUD metro figure. Missing wages or incomplete county matching remain unavailable. Wage estimates cover employees; self-employed workers are excluded.
Compare all places
386 of 386 places shown in the saved example. Interactive controls can search every place in the dataset.
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| Place | Monthly gross pay minus benchmark rent | Median annual wage | Monthly rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abilene, TX | $3,217.5 | $54,330 | $1,310 |
| Akron, OH | $3,859.8 | $61,090 | $1,231 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $3,792.3 | $66,040 | $1,711 |
| Albany, GA | $2,923.7 | $48,320 | $1,103 |
| Albany, OR | $3,181.5 | $58,890 | $1,726 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $3,375.2 | $57,110 | $1,384 |
| Alexandria, LA | $2,949.2 | $47,330 | $995 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $3,401.8 | $63,130 | $1,859 |
| Altoona, PA | $3,728.2 | $58,550 | $1,151 |
| Amarillo, TX | $3,046.5 | $49,840 | $1,107 |
| Ames, IA | $3,985.4 | $60,430 | $1,050 |
| Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $4,080.2 | $73,370 | $2,034 |
| Anchorage, AK | $5,650.4 | $85,620 | $1,485 |
| Ann Arbor, MI | $4,446.0 | $75,000 | $1,804 |
| Anniston-Oxford, AL | $2,971.7 | $47,780 | $1,010 |
| Appleton, WI | $3,877.3 | $61,600 | $1,256 |
| Asheville, NC | $2,977.3 | $58,120 | $1,866 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $2,789.2 | $48,890 | $1,285 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $3,162.9 | $58,970 | $1,751 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $3,162.9 | $60,640 | $1,890 |
| Auburn-Opelika, AL | $2,768.7 | $48,170 | $1,246 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $2,748.9 | $48,900 | $1,326 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $3,251.3 | $60,820 | $1,817 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $3,877.3 | $66,400 | $1,656 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $3,259.0 | $63,180 | $2,006 |
| Bangor, ME | $3,482.2 | $61,430 | $1,637 |
| Barnstable Town, MA | $3,622.8 | $73,330 | $2,488 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $4,105.9 | $62,940 | $1,139 |
| Battle Creek, MI | $3,775.3 | $60,100 | $1,233 |
| Bay City, MI | $3,959.2 | $60,170 | $1,055 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $3,508.7 | $56,720 | $1,218 |
| Beckley, WV | $2,748.3 | $44,600 | $968 |
| Bellingham, WA | $4,143.8 | $72,190 | $1,872 |
| Bend, OR | $3,303.1 | $61,150 | $1,793 |
| Billings, MT | $3,759.2 | $62,240 | $1,427 |
| Binghamton, NY | $3,949.3 | $62,020 | $1,219 |
| Birmingham, AL | $2,715.9 | $48,740 | $1,346 |
| Bismarck, ND | $4,330.5 | $64,770 | $1,067 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $2,915.2 | $50,030 | $1,254 |
| Bloomington, IL | $4,048.8 | $64,030 | $1,287 |
| Bloomington, IN | $3,837.9 | $60,920 | $1,239 |
| Boise City, ID | $3,242.8 | $57,270 | $1,530 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $3,680.6 | $78,530 | $2,864 |
| Boulder, CO | $3,890.3 | $71,080 | $2,033 |
| Bowling Green, KY | $3,428.3 | $55,230 | $1,174 |
| Bozeman, MT | $3,971.8 | $72,970 | $2,109 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $4,253.8 | $74,650 | $1,967 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $4,058.5 | $77,490 | $2,399 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $2,950.5 | $47,910 | $1,042 |
| Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $2,782.0 | $49,920 | $1,378 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $3,758.7 | $62,180 | $1,423 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $3,537.5 | $68,430 | $2,165 |
| Burlington, NC | $3,022.8 | $52,450 | $1,348 |
| Canton-Massillon, OH | $3,860.2 | $58,910 | $1,049 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $3,012.5 | $58,170 | $1,835 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $2,917.2 | $47,150 | $1,012 |
| Carson City, NV | $3,747.0 | $62,400 | $1,453 |
| Casper, WY | $3,800.8 | $58,150 | $1,045 |
| Cedar Rapids, IA | $4,013.6 | $60,680 | $1,043 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $3,849.2 | $62,090 | $1,325 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $5,076.4 | $74,880 | $1,164 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $2,983.5 | $58,410 | $1,884 |
| Charleston, WV | $3,250.8 | $51,510 | $1,042 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $3,282.5 | $59,840 | $1,704 |
| Charlottesville, VA | $3,319.7 | $59,540 | $1,642 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | $2,905.8 | $50,950 | $1,340 |
| Cheyenne, WY | $3,590.3 | $57,820 | $1,228 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $4,526.2 | $77,960 | $1,970 |
| Chico, CA | $3,734.3 | $62,920 | $1,509 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $3,754.4 | $62,240 | $1,432 |
| Clarksville, TN-KY | $2,906.1 | $50,480 | $1,301 |
| Cleveland, OH | $3,966.8 | $62,790 | $1,266 |
| Cleveland, TN | Unavailable | Unavailable | $1,270 |
| Coeur d'Alene, ID | $3,393.0 | $58,800 | $1,507 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $2,893.2 | $48,530 | $1,151 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | $3,504.0 | $61,460 | $1,618 |
| Columbia, MO | $3,837.6 | $58,880 | $1,069 |
| Columbia, SC | $3,587.5 | $57,610 | $1,213 |
| Columbus, GA-AL | $2,691.2 | $46,780 | $1,207 |
| Columbus, IN | $3,047.8 | $54,490 | $1,493 |
| Columbus, OH | $3,777.9 | $64,440 | $1,592 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $2,893.1 | $51,760 | $1,420 |
| Corvallis, OR | $3,453.0 | $63,720 | $1,857 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $2,252.5 | $48,810 | $1,815 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $3,177.5 | $59,560 | $1,786 |
| Dalton, GA | $4,366.2 | $65,560 | $1,097 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $2,471.8 | $46,870 | $1,434 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $4,376.5 | $65,190 | $1,056 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $3,960.3 | $62,500 | $1,248 |
| Decatur, AL | $3,039.5 | $48,750 | $1,023 |
| Decatur, IL | $5,389.8 | $77,770 | $1,091 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $2,424.0 | $49,290 | $1,683 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $3,796.0 | $71,580 | $2,169 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $3,877.1 | $62,640 | $1,343 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $3,804.8 | $63,170 | $1,459 |
| Dothan, AL | $2,888.2 | $46,210 | $963 |
| Dover, DE | $3,355.2 | $59,810 | $1,629 |
| Dubuque, IA | $3,986.5 | $61,410 | $1,131 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $5,102.2 | $75,710 | $1,207 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $3,215.1 | $59,180 | $1,717 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $3,847.7 | $61,280 | $1,259 |
| El Centro, CA | $4,921.3 | $75,220 | $1,347 |
| El Paso, TX | $2,793.4 | $47,270 | $1,146 |
| Elizabethtown, KY | $3,558.0 | $55,740 | $1,087 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $3,712.8 | $59,590 | $1,253 |
| Elmira, NY | $3,852.0 | $62,400 | $1,348 |
| Enid, OK | $3,527.2 | $54,290 | $997 |
| Erie, PA | $3,824.8 | $58,990 | $1,091 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | $3,458.2 | $60,050 | $1,546 |
| Evansville, IN | $3,831.3 | $59,500 | $1,127 |
| Fairbanks-College, AK | $6,265.3 | $93,820 | $1,553 |
| Fargo, ND-MN | $5,222.7 | $75,920 | $1,104 |
| Farmington, NM | $3,220.7 | $52,040 | $1,116 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $3,212.3 | $53,620 | $1,256 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $3,235.7 | $56,220 | $1,449 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $3,134.3 | $58,360 | $1,729 |
| Flint, MI | $3,856.2 | $59,870 | $1,133 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $2,795.0 | $46,560 | $1,085 |
| Florence, SC | $3,786.1 | $58,790 | $1,113 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $3,735.2 | $59,510 | $1,224 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $3,765.2 | $66,290 | $1,759 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | $3,034.3 | $48,160 | $979 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $3,828.8 | $60,830 | $1,240 |
| Fresno, CA | $3,550.9 | $62,580 | $1,664 |
| Gadsden, AL | $3,133.3 | $49,300 | $975 |
| Gainesville, FL | $3,198.8 | $55,670 | $1,440 |
| Gainesville, GA | $2,899.5 | $53,310 | $1,543 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $3,690.2 | $60,530 | $1,354 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $3,718.0 | $60,780 | $1,347 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $3,034.0 | $51,540 | $1,261 |
| Grand Forks, ND-MN | $5,275.2 | $75,470 | $1,014 |
| Grand Island, NE | $3,650.1 | $58,070 | $1,189 |
| Grand Junction, CO | $3,763.0 | $60,540 | $1,282 |
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $3,445.8 | $60,190 | $1,570 |
| Grants Pass, OR | $2,684.8 | $48,190 | $1,331 |
| Great Falls, MT | $3,747.8 | $60,670 | $1,308 |
| Greeley, CO | $3,521.3 | $62,020 | $1,647 |
| Green Bay, WI | $3,841.3 | $61,340 | $1,270 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $3,630.6 | $58,520 | $1,246 |
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $3,492.1 | $58,760 | $1,405 |
| Greenville, NC | $3,263.0 | $53,160 | $1,167 |
| Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $2,863.2 | $48,230 | $1,156 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $3,619.5 | $58,410 | $1,248 |
| Hammond, LA | $3,664.7 | $57,140 | $1,097 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $3,710.5 | $62,670 | $1,512 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $3,616.2 | $62,570 | $1,598 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $3,753.5 | $60,210 | $1,264 |
| Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $4,415.3 | $76,180 | $1,933 |
| Hattiesburg, MS | $2,566.5 | $46,590 | $1,316 |
| Helena, MT | $3,584.5 | $62,670 | $1,638 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $3,044.7 | $50,300 | $1,147 |
| Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $2,903.3 | $58,280 | $1,953 |
| Hinesville, GA | $3,632.4 | $59,910 | $1,360 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $2,761.8 | $47,470 | $1,194 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $2,775.8 | $46,630 | $1,110 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $3,774.5 | $58,470 | $1,098 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $3,422.4 | $58,940 | $1,489 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $3,063.1 | $48,860 | $1,009 |
| Huntsville, AL | $2,820.7 | $49,940 | $1,341 |
| Idaho Falls, ID | $2,826.8 | $49,190 | $1,272 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $3,656.9 | $62,160 | $1,523 |
| Iowa City, IA | $4,204.8 | $64,440 | $1,165 |
| Ithaca, NY | $3,681.8 | $64,690 | $1,709 |
| Jackson, MI | $3,900.7 | $61,220 | $1,201 |
| Jackson, MS | $3,093.4 | $52,060 | $1,245 |
| Jackson, TN | $3,252.8 | $54,150 | $1,260 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $3,192.1 | $58,590 | $1,690 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $2,728.5 | $48,570 | $1,319 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $3,700.8 | $59,770 | $1,280 |
| Jefferson City, MO | $3,846.4 | $58,180 | $1,002 |
| Johnson City, TN | $2,789.8 | $48,010 | $1,211 |
| Johnstown, PA | $3,490.2 | $54,050 | $1,014 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $2,882.3 | $47,230 | $1,054 |
| Joplin, MO-KS | $3,474.9 | $55,360 | $1,138 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $3,571.4 | $74,720 | $2,655 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $3,947.8 | $61,270 | $1,158 |
| Kankakee, IL | $3,865.2 | $62,570 | $1,349 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | $3,679.6 | $62,680 | $1,544 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $4,818.0 | $75,660 | $1,487 |
| Kenosha, WI | $3,664.0 | $61,260 | $1,441 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $3,000.6 | $49,630 | $1,135 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $2,988.2 | $48,950 | $1,091 |
| Kingston, NY | $3,244.5 | $61,470 | $1,878 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $3,329.8 | $65,530 | $2,131 |
| Knoxville, TN | $3,312.5 | $56,780 | $1,419 |
| Kokomo, IN | $4,221.0 | $64,800 | $1,179 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $3,882.9 | $62,400 | $1,317 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $3,859.5 | $61,430 | $1,260 |
| Lafayette, LA | $3,286.7 | $51,970 | $1,044 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $2,751.3 | $47,360 | $1,195 |
| Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $3,505.2 | $56,810 | $1,229 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $3,115.3 | $56,680 | $1,608 |
| Lancaster, PA | $3,491.2 | $60,530 | $1,553 |
| Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $3,713.7 | $60,440 | $1,323 |
| Laredo, TX | $2,880.5 | $48,450 | $1,157 |
| Las Cruces, NM | $3,064.5 | $49,650 | $1,073 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $3,334.0 | $60,240 | $1,686 |
| Lawrence, KS | $3,677.2 | $59,390 | $1,272 |
| Lawton, OK | $5,108.8 | $72,980 | $973 |
| Lebanon, PA | $3,844.5 | $62,370 | $1,353 |
| Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $3,921.3 | $67,180 | $1,677 |
| Lewiston, ID-WA | $2,922.7 | $49,880 | $1,234 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $3,338.2 | $61,840 | $1,815 |
| Lexington-Fayette, KY | $3,607.3 | $60,280 | $1,416 |
| Lima, OH | $3,900.2 | $60,950 | $1,179 |
| Lincoln, NE | $3,721.7 | $59,350 | $1,224 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $2,881.5 | $48,000 | $1,118 |
| Logan, UT-ID | $3,353.3 | $55,420 | $1,265 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $3,968.7 | $64,400 | $1,398 |
| Longview, TX | $3,356.4 | $55,050 | $1,231 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $3,169.6 | $73,830 | $2,983 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $3,651.2 | $58,930 | $1,260 |
| Lubbock, TX | $2,925.5 | $49,850 | $1,229 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $3,758.0 | $58,500 | $1,117 |
| Macon-Bibb County, GA | $2,780.7 | $48,980 | $1,301 |
| Madison, WI | $3,744.2 | $63,150 | $1,518 |
| Manchester-Nashua, NH | $3,911.3 | $73,090 | $2,179 |
| Manhattan, KS | $3,729.9 | $58,000 | $1,103 |
| Mankato, MN | $5,159.2 | $76,670 | $1,230 |
| Mansfield, OH | $3,882.5 | $59,010 | $1,035 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $2,913.8 | $47,170 | $1,017 |
| Medford, OR | $3,440.2 | $59,750 | $1,539 |
| Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $3,438.3 | $56,780 | $1,293 |
| Merced, CA | $3,819.7 | $64,040 | $1,517 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $2,387.3 | $58,040 | $2,449 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $3,822.5 | $60,810 | $1,245 |
| Midland, MI | $3,502.5 | $56,490 | $1,205 |
| Midland, TX | $3,022.9 | $57,800 | $1,794 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $3,981.2 | $62,930 | $1,263 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $4,730.1 | $77,490 | $1,727 |
| Minot, ND | $4,282.0 | $63,950 | $1,047 |
| Missoula, MT | $3,335.5 | $60,240 | $1,684 |
| Mobile, AL | $2,857.7 | $47,960 | $1,139 |
| Modesto, CA | $3,593.7 | $64,760 | $1,803 |
| Monroe, LA | $3,771.0 | $57,270 | $1,002 |
| Monroe, MI | $3,641.0 | $59,340 | $1,304 |
| Montgomery, AL | $2,906.7 | $48,680 | $1,150 |
| Morgantown, WV | $2,854.5 | $47,970 | $1,143 |
| Morristown, TN | $2,901.2 | $48,650 | $1,153 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $4,749.5 | $77,010 | $1,668 |
| Muncie, IN | $3,509.2 | $55,850 | $1,145 |
| Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $3,427.5 | $56,550 | $1,285 |
| Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $3,015.2 | $54,230 | $1,504 |
| Napa, CA | $3,672.5 | $84,570 | $3,375 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $2,925.7 | $59,540 | $2,036 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $3,254.6 | $60,270 | $1,768 |
| New Haven, CT | $4,315.7 | $76,880 | $2,091 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $3,814.0 | $63,500 | $1,478 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $3,693.5 | $77,990 | $2,806 |
| Niles, MI | $3,692.2 | $58,130 | $1,152 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $2,734.5 | $59,070 | $2,188 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $4,347.2 | $74,990 | $1,902 |
| Ocala, FL | $2,691.0 | $49,020 | $1,394 |
| Odessa, TX | $3,359.7 | $58,580 | $1,522 |
| Ogden, UT | $3,338.2 | $59,150 | $1,591 |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $3,756.6 | $60,120 | $1,253 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $4,409.0 | $76,260 | $1,946 |
| Omaha, NE-IA | $3,767.7 | $62,570 | $1,446 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $2,329.3 | $51,460 | $1,959 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $3,849.2 | $60,530 | $1,195 |
| Owensboro, KY | $3,867.0 | $60,060 | $1,138 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $3,385.2 | $69,710 | $2,424 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $3,599.6 | $56,610 | $1,118 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $2,991.0 | $57,240 | $1,779 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $2,689.7 | $51,600 | $1,610 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $2,826.0 | $45,600 | $974 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $3,287.8 | $58,030 | $1,548 |
| Peoria, IL | $5,347.2 | $78,710 | $1,212 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $3,521.7 | $64,580 | $1,860 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $3,363.5 | $61,170 | $1,734 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $3,158.7 | $52,580 | $1,223 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $3,804.2 | $62,140 | $1,374 |
| Pittsfield, MA | $3,598.5 | $63,900 | $1,726 |
| Pocatello, ID | $2,994.0 | $50,940 | $1,251 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $2,698.5 | $57,210 | $2,069 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $3,186.2 | $64,090 | $2,155 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $3,560.3 | $65,260 | $1,878 |
| Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $3,306.7 | $58,280 | $1,550 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $3,698.1 | $67,380 | $1,917 |
| Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $2,714.5 | $48,930 | $1,363 |
| Pueblo, CO | $3,662.8 | $59,110 | $1,263 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $3,182.5 | $57,090 | $1,575 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $3,862.0 | $61,740 | $1,283 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $3,219.3 | $58,900 | $1,689 |
| Rapid City, SD | $3,708.9 | $61,430 | $1,410 |
| Reading, PA | $3,727.0 | $61,740 | $1,418 |
| Redding, CA | $3,670.7 | $63,020 | $1,581 |
| Reno, NV | $3,360.8 | $61,940 | $1,801 |
| Richmond, VA | $3,278.5 | $59,130 | $1,649 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $3,255.3 | $64,300 | $2,103 |
| Roanoke, VA | $2,684.5 | $49,230 | $1,418 |
| Rochester, MN | $5,088.5 | $77,500 | $1,370 |
| Rochester, NY | $3,881.5 | $63,570 | $1,416 |
| Rockford, IL | $5,083.8 | $75,070 | $1,172 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $3,473.8 | $55,690 | $1,167 |
| Rome, GA | $3,132.7 | $52,040 | $1,204 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $3,361.9 | $66,670 | $2,194 |
| Saginaw, MI | $3,864.0 | $60,060 | $1,141 |
| Salem, OR | $3,728.8 | $65,050 | $1,692 |
| Salinas, CA | $3,629.8 | $72,550 | $2,416 |
| Salisbury, MD | $3,710.1 | $61,220 | $1,392 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $3,464.5 | $60,790 | $1,601 |
| San Angelo, TX | $2,760.8 | $49,330 | $1,350 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $3,445.0 | $58,590 | $1,437 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $3,417.0 | $74,880 | $2,823 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $3,309.5 | $78,490 | $3,231 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $3,571.3 | $82,050 | $3,266 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $3,543.3 | $75,160 | $2,720 |
| Sandusky, OH | $3,868.7 | $61,040 | $1,218 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $2,273.5 | $78,330 | $4,254 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $2,378.3 | $49,360 | $1,735 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $3,447.3 | $78,640 | $3,106 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $3,806.8 | $79,510 | $2,819 |
| Savannah, GA | $2,635.2 | $51,770 | $1,679 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $3,782.8 | $61,750 | $1,363 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $4,219.4 | $80,100 | $2,456 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $2,663.8 | $50,470 | $1,542 |
| Sebring, FL | $2,467.7 | $44,720 | $1,259 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $3,963.7 | $61,580 | $1,168 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $3,299.2 | $56,330 | $1,395 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $3,840.0 | $58,620 | $1,045 |
| Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $2,937.0 | $49,080 | $1,153 |
| Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $3,792.7 | $59,840 | $1,194 |
| Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $3,980.2 | $62,440 | $1,223 |
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $3,422.7 | $57,320 | $1,354 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $3,698.0 | $59,460 | $1,257 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $3,636.4 | $57,790 | $1,179 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $3,760.6 | $62,840 | $1,476 |
| Springfield, IL | $4,657.2 | $70,730 | $1,237 |
| Springfield, MA | $4,577.5 | $76,530 | $1,800 |
| Springfield, MO | $3,598.4 | $56,410 | $1,102 |
| Springfield, OH | $4,062.5 | $62,670 | $1,160 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $4,968.7 | $74,420 | $1,233 |
| St. George, UT | $2,325.5 | $47,790 | $1,657 |
| St. Joseph, MO-KS | $4,058.2 | $61,910 | $1,101 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $3,906.6 | $63,000 | $1,343 |
| State College, PA | $3,293.8 | $57,970 | $1,537 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $3,996.8 | $62,350 | $1,199 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $4,294.2 | $75,710 | $2,015 |
| Sumter, SC | $2,818.7 | $49,880 | $1,338 |
| Syracuse, NY | $4,057.0 | $66,600 | $1,493 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $3,055.0 | $53,690 | $1,419 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $2,294.7 | $50,540 | $1,917 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $3,369.3 | $54,300 | $1,156 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $2,872.2 | $47,760 | $1,108 |
| Toledo, OH | $4,060.0 | $62,460 | $1,145 |
| Topeka, KS | $4,201.3 | $64,480 | $1,172 |
| Traverse City, MI | $3,657.6 | $60,590 | $1,392 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $4,028.0 | $75,240 | $2,242 |
| Tucson, AZ | $3,267.5 | $56,070 | $1,405 |
| Tulsa, OK | $3,678.5 | $58,750 | $1,217 |
| Tuscaloosa, AL | $2,881.1 | $48,430 | $1,155 |
| Twin Falls, ID | $2,991.5 | $51,080 | $1,265 |
| Tyler, TX | $2,831.3 | $49,300 | $1,277 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $2,912.2 | $65,450 | $2,542 |
| Utica-Rome, NY | $3,946.7 | $61,880 | $1,210 |
| Valdosta, GA | $2,739.3 | $47,020 | $1,179 |
| Vallejo, CA | $3,320.5 | $67,950 | $2,342 |
| Victoria, TX | $2,617.8 | $48,550 | $1,428 |
| Vineland, NJ | $3,983.5 | $68,250 | $1,704 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $3,291.0 | $59,470 | $1,665 |
| Visalia, CA | $3,965.8 | $64,990 | $1,450 |
| Waco, TX | $3,381.1 | $55,860 | $1,274 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $3,649.8 | $62,530 | $1,561 |
| Warner Robins, GA | $2,696.7 | $48,670 | $1,359 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $3,570.5 | $71,920 | $2,423 |
| Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $4,314.2 | $72,710 | $1,745 |
| Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $3,944.1 | $60,400 | $1,089 |
| Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $3,784.5 | $62,850 | $1,453 |
| Wausau, WI | $3,708.8 | $59,110 | $1,217 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $3,743.0 | $57,000 | $1,007 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $3,668.8 | $61,630 | $1,467 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $3,677.7 | $56,240 | $1,009 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $2,958.3 | $49,240 | $1,145 |
| Wichita, KS | $3,916.9 | $59,520 | $1,043 |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $2,944.3 | $51,220 | $1,324 |
| Williamsport, PA | $3,721.3 | $59,260 | $1,217 |
| Wilmington, NC | $2,515.0 | $49,860 | $1,640 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $3,182.5 | $56,250 | $1,505 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $3,331.9 | $55,360 | $1,281 |
| Worcester, MA | $4,093.4 | $73,800 | $2,057 |
| Yakima, WA | $4,178.7 | $65,900 | $1,313 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $3,837.2 | $61,970 | $1,327 |
| Youngstown-Warren, OH | $4,102.0 | $61,260 | $1,003 |
| Yuba City, CA | $3,637.5 | $62,850 | $1,600 |
| Yuma, AZ | $3,530.2 | $57,290 | $1,244 |
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Compare gross trade pay after benchmark rent
The tool uses median annual and hourly employee wages for HVAC mechanics and installers (49-9021), plumbers, pipefitters and steamfitters (47-2152), and welders, cutters, solderers and brazers (51-4121). Monthly gross pay minus rent equals the published annual median divided by 12, less the selected bedroom rent benchmark. This is an amount before taxes and other expenses, not disposable income. BLS medians describe employees across experience levels, not apprenticeship wages or self-employed business income.
Matching metro wages with county rents
Wages use the May 2025 BLS metro definitions. County HUD FY2027 rents are weighted by 2020–2024 ACS renter-occupied household counts in those same counties. This constructed metro benchmark is not an official HUD metro FMR. All counties must match and have valid rents and renter counts; otherwise the benchmark remains unavailable. Suppressed occupation estimates remain unavailable. The sources describe different periods, so this is a planning comparison rather than a same-year affordability trend or complete cost-of-living index.
Sources and reproducibility
BLS May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics and HUD FY2027 FMR with ACS table B25003. Public files retrieved October 1, 2026. These snapshots stay fixed until a reviewed refresh. County points use Census 2024 Gazetteer internal points; metro points are the average of matched county coordinates.
Original download links, archived extract rules and SHA-256 checksums. Missing or suppressed values remain unavailable in maps, tables and downloads. Maps use point locations rather than geographic area to represent counties, metros and stations; dots may overlap at the national scale.
Common questions
Where do HVAC technicians, plumbers or welders earn the most after rent?
Choose an occupation and bedroom count, then sort monthly gross pay minus rent from highest to lowest. Review taxes, other expenses, job availability and source limitations before using the result.
Why is a metro's pay or rent unavailable?
BLS can suppress wage estimates, and county definitions may not completely match the rent snapshot. The tool preserves missing data rather than calculating a partial metro average.