City comparison
Pittsburgh, PA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 9.0% higher than in Pittsburgh, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in Pittsburgh, PA would need about $109,000 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 $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 17% in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.0% moving from Pittsburgh, PA to Trenton, NJ ($110,047 → $125,431), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (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
| Pittsburgh, PA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 94.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,988 in Trenton | $91,753 in Pittsburgh |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,077/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,650 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Pittsburgh, PA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Pittsburgh | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.0 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 107.7 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 94.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Pittsburgh, PA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
43 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Pittsburgh, PA is in the Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Pittsburgh, PA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Pittsburgh, PA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Pittsburgh → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,815 | $72,737 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,211 | $88,005 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,543 | $105,481 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,047 | $125,431 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,042 | $148,222 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Pittsburgh, PA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Pittsburgh dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,550 | $77,850 | $71,430 (−6.7%) |
| Software Developers | $124,500 | $128,770 | $118,151 (−5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,940 | $99,550 | $91,340 (+18.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,370 | $99,990 | $91,744 (+11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.