City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 6.0% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $106,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Atlantic City, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.1% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Minneapolis, MN ($117,284 → $116,038), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.7% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,034 in Minneapolis | $94,309 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
51 Fair offer
Minneapolis, MN → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Atlantic City → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $67,290 | −6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $81,415 | −6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $97,582 | −6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $116,038 | −6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $137,123 | −6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $79,730 | $75,193 (−6.6%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $130,920 | $123,470 (−2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $86,500 | $81,578 (−1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $103,040 | $97,176 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.