City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Cape Coral, FL (102.3) and Trenton, NJ (103.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Cape Coral, FL goes as far as $100,800 in Trenton, NJ.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, FL and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Cape Coral, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Cape Coral, FL to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.9% in real buying power.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (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
| Cape Coral, FL | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,812 in Trenton | $99,195 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
66 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Cape Coral, FL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cape Coral, FL is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cape Coral, FL to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Cape Coral → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +16.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +16.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +16.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +16.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +16.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $77,850 | $77,223 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $128,770 | $127,733 (+0.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $99,550 | $98,748 (+24.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $99,990 | $99,185 (+19.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.