City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Reading, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 1.9% higher than in Reading, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Reading, PA would need about $101,900 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,237 in Reading, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 20% in Reading, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Reading, PA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $117,284 in either. A transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Reading, PA changes real buying power by +1.9%, purely from prices.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Reading, PA: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Reading, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,182 in Reading | $101,851 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,237/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $49,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Reading, PA MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Reading, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 85.4 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 108.2 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Reading, PA
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
75 Strong offer
Reading, PA → Atlantic City, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Reading, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Reading, PA | Real change, Atlantic City → Reading |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $68,013 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $82,289 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $98,630 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $117,284 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $138,595 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Reading, PA | Reading pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $79,860 | $81,339 (+1.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $120,920 | $123,159 (−2.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $75,550 | $76,949 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $98,470 | $100,293 (+1.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.