City comparison
Charleston, SC vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 2.2% higher than in Charleston, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charleston, SC would need about $102,200 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,630 a month in Charleston, SC versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Charleston, SC and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $663 a year higher in Charleston, SC than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Charleston, SC to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.3% in real buying power.
- Charleston, SC: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Charleston, SC | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,197 in Trenton | $97,850 in Charleston |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,630/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 26% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,150 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Charleston-North Charleston, SC and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charleston | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 119.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charleston, SC → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$663/yr.
62 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Charleston, SC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$663/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charleston, SC 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 Charleston, SC to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charleston, SC | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Charleston → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +15.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +15.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +15.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +15.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +15.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charleston, SC | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Charleston dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,020 | $77,850 | $76,177 (+24.8%) |
| Software Developers | $132,150 | $128,770 | $126,002 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,350 | $99,550 | $97,410 (+22.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $92,800 | $99,990 | $97,841 (+5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.