City comparison
Durham, NC vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 5.7% higher than in Durham, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Durham, NC would need about $105,700 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Durham, NC and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Durham, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Durham, NC to Trenton, NJ ($111,147 → $125,431), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.7% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,748 in Trenton | $94,565 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
52 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Durham, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Durham → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $72,737 | +6.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $88,005 | +6.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $105,481 | +6.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $125,431 | +6.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $148,222 | +6.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $77,850 | $73,619 (+43.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $128,770 | $121,771 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $99,550 | $94,139 (+10.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $99,990 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.