City comparison
Ocala, FL vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.3% higher than in Ocala, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Ocala, FL would need about $108,300 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 $1,172 in Ocala, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Ocala, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Ocala, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Ocala, FL to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.8% in real buying power.
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (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
| Ocala, FL | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,344 in Trenton | $92,299 in Ocala |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,172/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,990 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Ocala, FL MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Ocala, FL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ocala | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.2 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 87.1 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ocala, FL → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
45 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Ocala, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ocala, FL 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 Ocala, FL to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ocala, FL | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Ocala → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ocala, FL | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Ocala dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,540 | $77,850 | $71,855 (+24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $112,780 | $128,770 | $118,853 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $74,370 | $99,550 | $91,884 (+23.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,230 | $99,990 | $92,290 (+16.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.