City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 2.2% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $102,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,489 in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.9% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Reno, NV ($117,284 → $106,855), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.8% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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 | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,182 in Reno | $97,865 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
62 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Reno, NV | Real change, Atlantic City → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,965 | −10.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,972 | −10.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,859 | −10.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,855 | −10.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $126,271 | −10.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $62,430 | $61,097 (−24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $125,710 | $123,026 (−2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $82,370 | $80,611 (−2.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $107,520 | $105,224 (+5.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.