City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 2.0% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $102,000 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $488 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Boulder, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Boulder, CO to Trenton, NJ ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.8% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boulder, CO | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,078 in Trenton | $101,960 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$488/yr.
75 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Boulder, CO
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$488/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Boulder → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $77,850 | $79,376 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $128,770 | $131,293 (−20.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $99,550 | $101,501 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $99,990 | $101,949 (−1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.