Salary Comparison
Opticians: Appleton vs Lowell
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Appleton, WI
$43,143/yr
Lowell, MA
$62,570/yr
Our recommendation: Lowell, MA
Lowell offers $550 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Appleton
Lowell
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$43,143
$62,570
$19,427
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$2,625
$3,806
$1,181
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
86
106
-20 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,227
$2,858
$631
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,281
$1,650
$369
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$398
$948
$550
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.18×
1.33×
-0.15×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
4/10 (Tight)
5/10 (Tight)
-1
A vs B
Appleton — Full Details
Lowell — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.