Salary Comparison
Pipelayers: Birmingham vs Kirkland
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Birmingham, AL
$47,506/yr
Kirkland, WA
$82,660/yr
Our recommendation: Kirkland, WA
Kirkland offers $636 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Birmingham
Kirkland
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$47,506
$82,660
$35,154
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$2,890
$5,029
$2,139
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
70
128
-58 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$1,814
$3,317
$1,503
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,043
$1,908
$865
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$1,076
$1,712
$636
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.59×
1.52×
+0.07×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
6/10 (Moderate)
6/10 (Moderate)
+0
A vs B
Birmingham — Full Details
Kirkland — 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.