Maybe to a certain extent during the working years where a higher salary can offset higher taxes and living expenses.
But it's way cheaper in some states to live. Some states things may balance out like in TX where you don't pay a lot in income tax but killed in property taxes. But there's a bunch of states that are overall low tax and low cost of living. And a few of them aren't so bad to live in. Some get oddly expensive. Look at VT where it's high taxes, low salaries don't even look at that winter heating bill.
I had a lot of people telling me how NC was going to get their money from me no matter what. I didn't move down here for the cost of living so I didn't really care.
I can't think of a single thing that's more $$ in NC than NJ outside of salaries. Property tax is *way* less. Income tax is a few % less. People kept telling me how property tax on cars was going to make up for a lot of other taxes. Turns out property tax on my car every year is like $100... Garbage/Water/Sewer seems to be a good amount less. Home insurance & car insurance is significantly less.
Ignore what I said above, it's horrible here. Expensive and Meth everywhere. And hurricanes and earthquakes. We're closed, no more room!