City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.8% higher than in Chattanooga, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Chattanooga, TN would need about $112,800 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 $1,263 in Chattanooga, TN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 19% in Chattanooga, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (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
| Chattanooga, TN | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,809 in Trenton | $88,645 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN 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 Chattanooga, TN to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Chattanooga → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $77,850 | $69,010 (+15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $128,770 | $114,148 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $99,550 | $88,246 (+15.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $99,990 | $88,636 (+11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.