City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 3.6% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $103,600 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Bridgeport, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Trenton, NJ changes real buying power by +3.6%, purely from prices.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (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
| Bridgeport, CT | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,553 in Trenton | $103,570 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
80 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
45 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Bridgeport → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $77,850 | $80,630 (−18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $128,770 | $133,368 (−18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $99,550 | $103,104 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $99,990 | $103,560 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.