City comparison
Minneapolis, MN vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 1.6% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $101,600 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,097 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.1% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Trenton, NJ ($116,038 → $125,431), while prices change by −1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.8% in real buying power.
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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
| Minneapolis, MN | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.8 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,434 in Trenton | $101,591 in Minneapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,405/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,903 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,277 (MN) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,320 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Minneapolis | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 111.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 103.1 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 93.5 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 104.4 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 104.8 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Minneapolis, MN → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,097/yr.
74 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Minneapolis, MN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,097/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Minneapolis, MN | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Minneapolis → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $67,290 | $72,737 | +9.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $81,415 | $88,005 | +9.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $97,582 | $105,481 | +9.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $116,038 | $125,431 | +9.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $137,123 | $148,222 | +9.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Minneapolis, MN | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Minneapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,730 | $77,850 | $79,089 (−0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,920 | $128,770 | $130,819 (−0.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $86,500 | $99,550 | $101,134 (+16.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,040 | $99,990 | $101,581 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.