City comparison
Milwaukee, WI vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 6.4% higher than in Milwaukee, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Milwaukee, WI would need about $106,400 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 $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $261 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Milwaukee, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Milwaukee, WI to Trenton, NJ ($111,310 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (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
| Milwaukee, WI | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,440 in Trenton | $93,949 in Milwaukee |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,119/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,160 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Milwaukee | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 91.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 96.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Milwaukee, WI → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$261/yr.
50 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$261/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Milwaukee, WI is in the Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Milwaukee, WI to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Milwaukee, WI | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Milwaukee → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,548 | $72,737 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,098 | $88,005 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,606 | $105,481 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,310 | $125,431 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,535 | $148,222 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Milwaukee, WI | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Milwaukee dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,480 | $77,850 | $73,140 (+19.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,730 | $128,770 | $120,979 (−2.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,290 | $99,550 | $93,527 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,360 | $99,990 | $93,940 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.