City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 2.7% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $102,700 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,740 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Eugene, OR ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.7% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,742 in Eugene | $97,331 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,740/yr.
60 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,740/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Eugene, OR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Eugene, OR | Real change, Atlantic City → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $64,260 | $62,545 (−22.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $121,050 | $117,819 (−7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $79,930 | $77,797 (−6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $113,720 | $110,685 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.