City comparison
Las Vegas, NV vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 3.0% higher than in Las Vegas, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Las Vegas, NV would need about $103,000 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.4% moving from Las Vegas, NV to Trenton, NJ ($108,719 → $125,431), while prices change by +3.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.1% in real buying power.
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
- 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
| Las Vegas, NV | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,959 in Trenton | $97,126 in Las Vegas |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,478/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,670 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Las Vegas | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 115.5 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 90.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Las Vegas, NV → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
60 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Las Vegas, NV is in the Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Las Vegas, NV to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Las Vegas, NV | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Las Vegas → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,046 | $72,737 | +12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,280 | $88,005 | +12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,427 | $105,481 | +12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,719 | $125,431 | +12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,473 | $148,222 | +12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Las Vegas, NV | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Las Vegas dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,040 | $77,850 | $75,613 (+16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,940 | $128,770 | $125,070 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,530 | $99,550 | $96,689 (+20.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,940 | $99,990 | $97,117 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.