City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 7.0% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $107,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,537 in Atlantic City, NJ. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 25% in Atlantic City, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $488 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Denver, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Denver, CO ($117,284 → $118,675), while prices change by +7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,005 in Denver | $93,454 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$488/yr.
44 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$488/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Denver, CO | Real change, Atlantic City → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $68,819 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $83,265 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $99,800 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $118,675 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $140,239 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $76,910 | $71,875 (−10.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $137,610 | $128,601 (+1.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $100,020 | $93,472 (+12.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $101,130 | $94,510 (−4.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.