City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 14.6% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $114,600 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 $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $912 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Gulfport, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Gulfport, MS to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +14.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.8% in real buying power.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (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
| Gulfport, MS | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,637 in Trenton | $87,232 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$912/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$912/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gulfport, MS 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 Gulfport, MS to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Gulfport → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $77,850 | $67,910 (+33.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $128,770 | $112,329 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $99,550 | $86,839 (+13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $99,990 | $87,223 (+10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.