City comparison
New York, NY vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in New York, NY are 9.1% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $109,100 in New York, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,655 a month in New York, NY versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 43% of take-home pay in New York, NY and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $680 a year higher in New York, NY than in Trenton, NJ.
- 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 York, NY to Trenton, NJ changes real buying power by +9.1%, purely from prices.
- New York, NY: price level 112.6 (much 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 York, NY | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 112.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,664 in Trenton | $109,094 in New York |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,655/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 43% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,430 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: New York, NY HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | New York | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 148.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 110.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 127.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 105.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 112.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
New York, NY → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$680/yr.
97 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → New York, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 43% of take-home; state tax +$680/yr.
16 Weak 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 York, NY to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | New York, NY | Trenton, NJ | Real change, New York → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | New York, NY | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in New York dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $96,900 | $77,850 | $84,930 (−12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $166,830 | $128,770 | $140,480 (−15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $105,650 | $99,550 | $108,603 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $119,720 | $99,990 | $109,083 (−8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.