City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 2.4% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $102,400 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH 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 Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Manchester, NH to Trenton, NJ ($120,548 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (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
| Manchester, NH | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,656 in Trenton | $102,401 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
76 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Manchester → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $72,737 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $88,005 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $105,481 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $125,431 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $148,222 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $77,850 | $79,719 (+8.6%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $128,770 | $131,861 (−18.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $99,550 | $101,940 (+21.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $99,990 | $102,390 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.