City comparison
Reno, NV vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 2.1% higher than in Reno, NV. Someone earning $100,000 in Reno, NV would need about $102,100 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,489 a month in Reno, NV and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.4% moving from Reno, NV to Trenton, NJ ($106,855 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.9% in real buying power.
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
- 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
| Reno, NV | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,144 in Trenton | $97,901 in Reno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,489/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NV) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Reno-Fernley, NV | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Reno, NV and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Reno | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 123.5 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 101.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Reno, NV → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
62 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Reno, NV
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Reno, NV is in the Reno-Fernley, NV pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Reno, NV to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Reno, NV | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Reno → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,965 | $72,737 | +14.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,972 | $88,005 | +14.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,859 | $105,481 | +14.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,855 | $125,431 | +14.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,271 | $148,222 | +14.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Reno, NV | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Reno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,430 | $77,850 | $76,216 (+22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $125,710 | $128,770 | $126,067 (+0.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,370 | $99,550 | $97,460 (+18.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $107,520 | $99,990 | $97,891 (−9.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.