City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 3.2% higher than in Allentown, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Allentown, PA would need about $103,200 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Allentown, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from Allentown, PA to Trenton, NJ changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,213 in Trenton | $96,887 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
59 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Allentown, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Allentown → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $77,850 | $75,427 (−4.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $128,770 | $124,761 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $99,550 | $96,451 (+23.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $99,990 | $96,877 (−4.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.