City comparison
Kiryas Joel, NY vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Kiryas Joel, NY are 6.0% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $106,000 in Kiryas Joel, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,549 a month in Kiryas Joel, NY and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $680 a year higher in Kiryas Joel, NY than in Trenton, NJ.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Trenton, NJ changes real buying power by +6.0%, purely from prices.
- Kiryas Joel, NY: price level 109.4 (much 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
| Kiryas Joel, NY | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 109.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,295 in Trenton | $106,050 in Kiryas Joel |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,549/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,990 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Kiryas Joel | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 136.8 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 106.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 109.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Kiryas Joel, NY → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$680/yr.
88 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Kiryas Joel, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$680/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Kiryas Joel, NY to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Kiryas Joel → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Kiryas Joel, NY | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Kiryas Joel dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $81,770 | $77,850 | $82,560 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $145,830 | $128,770 | $136,560 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $88,900 | $99,550 | $105,572 (+18.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $102,890 | $99,990 | $106,039 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.