City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 8.1% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $108,100 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.2% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Toledo, OH ($117,284 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.9% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,512 in Toledo | $108,094 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $48,220 |
| 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 Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
94 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Toledo, OH | Real change, Atlantic City → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $63,250 | $68,369 (−15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $104,360 | $112,806 (−10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $77,400 | $83,664 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $81,050 | $87,610 (−11.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.