City comparison
Pensacola, 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 5.6% higher than in Pensacola, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Pensacola, FL would need about $105,600 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 $1,257 in Pensacola, FL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 19% in Pensacola, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Pensacola, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Pensacola, FL to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.6% in real buying power.
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (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
| Pensacola, FL | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,591 in Trenton | $94,705 in Pensacola |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,257/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 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,240 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pensacola | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 88.5 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 97.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pensacola, FL → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
52 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Pensacola, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pensacola, 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 Pensacola, FL to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pensacola, FL | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Pensacola → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +11.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +11.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +11.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +11.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +11.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pensacola, FL | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Pensacola dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,360 | $77,850 | $73,728 (+46.4%) |
| Software Developers | $108,430 | $128,770 | $121,952 (+12.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,410 | $99,550 | $94,279 (+23.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,890 | $99,990 | $94,696 (+21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.