City comparison
Dayton, 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 11.3% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $111,300 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Trenton, NJ ($110,401 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,312 in Trenton | $89,837 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Dayton → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $72,737 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $88,005 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $105,481 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $125,431 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $148,222 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $77,850 | $69,938 (−13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $128,770 | $115,683 (+8.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $99,550 | $89,433 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $99,990 | $89,828 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.