City comparison

Canton, OH vs Trenton, NJ

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Trenton, NJ are 15.4% higher than in Canton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Canton, OH would need about $115,400 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
  • Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 13% in Canton, OH.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Canton, OH.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Canton, OH to Trenton, NJ ($111,138 → $125,431), while prices change by +15.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.2% in real buying power.
CantonTrenton
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
  • 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

Canton, OHTrenton, NJ
Price level (U.S. = 100)289.4103.2
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$115,406 in Trenton$86,651 in Canton
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$846/mo$1,545/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$77,212$75,000
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$1,968 (OH)$4,180 (NJ)
Rent burden on $100,00013%25%
Median pay, all jobs4$45,810$63,490
Federal locality pay area7Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PANew York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA

Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.

What costs more or less

Canton, OHTrenton, NJ
Price level (U.S. = 100)CantonTrenton
Housing (rent)58.1135.1
Goods93.699.8
Utilities96.9112.3
Other services98.997.9
Overall89.4103.2
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Canton, OH → Trenton, NJ

Same pay buys less

Buying power −13.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.

38 Weak offer

Trenton, NJ → Canton, OH

Same pay goes further

Buying power +15.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.

100 Strong offer

On the GS pay scale?

Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Canton, OHTrenton, NJReal change, Canton → Trenton
GS-9 step 1$64,448$72,737−2.2%
GS-11 step 1$77,977$88,005−2.2%
GS-12 step 1$93,461$105,481−2.2%
GS-13 step 1$111,138$125,431−2.2%
GS-14 step 1$131,331$148,222−2.2%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Canton, OHTrenton, NJTrenton pay in Canton dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$77,940$77,850$67,457 (−13.4%)
Software Developers$105,500$128,770$111,580 (+5.8%)
Accountants and Auditors$72,170$99,550$86,261 (+19.5%)
Registered Nurses$79,610$99,990$86,642 (+8.8%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

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Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.