Salary Comparison
Pipelayers: Elgin vs Kent
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Elgin, IL
$56,891/yr
Kent, WA
$82,660/yr
Our recommendation: Kent, WA
Kent offers $1,167 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Elgin
Kent
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$56,891
$82,660
$25,769
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,461
$5,029
$1,568
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
90
105
-15 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,407
$2,808
$401
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,350
$1,650
$300
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$1,054
$2,221
$1,167
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.44×
1.79×
-0.35×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
5/10 (Tight)
7/10 (Moderate)
-2
A vs B
Elgin — Full Details
Kent — 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.