Western Washington and populated areas of eastern Washington all pay considerably higher than any red state. Teachers in Washington are union members and we have a very strong union so our pay, benefits, working conditions are better but we experience the same educational issues as everywhere. Consider what you are looking for as far as big city vs suburb vs rural. I teach in rural Olympic Peninsula my pay is about $20,000 less than districts along I-5, but I still make $82,000 after 9 years.