City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hartford, CT (102.7) and Trenton, NJ (103.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hartford, CT goes as far as $100,400 in Trenton, NJ.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Hartford, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Trenton, NJ ($120,094 → $125,431), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Hartford, CT | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,422 in Trenton | $99,579 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
67 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Hartford, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Hartford → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $72,737 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $88,005 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $105,481 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $125,431 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $148,222 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $77,850 | $77,523 (−2.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $128,770 | $128,228 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $99,550 | $99,131 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $99,990 | $99,569 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.