City comparison
New Haven, CT vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New Haven, CT are 1.3% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $101,300 in New Haven, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,591 a month in New Haven, CT and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in New Haven, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from New Haven, CT to Trenton, NJ changes real buying power by +1.3%, purely from prices.
- New Haven, CT: price level 104.6 (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
| New Haven, CT | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 104.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,681 in Trenton | $101,336 in New Haven |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,591/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,060 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: New Haven, CT MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: New Haven, CT and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New Haven | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 124.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 144.8 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 104.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New Haven, CT → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
73 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → New Haven, CT
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from New Haven, CT to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New Haven, CT | Trenton, NJ | Real change, New Haven → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New Haven, CT | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in New Haven dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,820 | $77,850 | $78,890 (−1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,040 | $128,770 | $130,491 (−1.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,960 | $99,550 | $100,880 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $104,490 | $99,990 | $101,326 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.