City comparison
Nashville, TN vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 7.1% higher than in Nashville, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Nashville, TN would need about $107,100 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,578 a month in Nashville, TN 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 Nashville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Nashville, TN to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.0% in real buying power.
- Nashville, TN: price level 96.3 (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
| Nashville, TN | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.3 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,102 in Trenton | $93,369 in Nashville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,578/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,390 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Nashville | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 72.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 95.1 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 96.3 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Nashville, TN → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
48 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Nashville, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Nashville, TN is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Nashville, TN to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Nashville, TN | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Nashville → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Nashville, TN | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Nashville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,460 | $77,850 | $72,688 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,610 | $128,770 | $120,231 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,080 | $99,550 | $92,949 (+19.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,040 | $99,990 | $93,360 (+11.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.