City comparison
Salem, OR vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Salem, OR (103.6) and Trenton, NJ (103.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Salem, OR goes as far as $99,500 in Trenton, NJ.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,740 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Salem, OR to Trenton, NJ ($114,684 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.9% in real buying power.
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (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
| Salem, OR | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,548 in Trenton | $100,455 in Salem |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,201/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Salem, OR MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Salem, OR and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Salem | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 104.7 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 103.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Salem, OR → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,740/yr.
70 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Salem, OR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,740/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Salem, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Salem, OR to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Salem, OR | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Salem → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $72,737 | +9.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $88,005 | +9.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $105,481 | +9.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $125,431 | +9.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $148,222 | +9.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Salem, OR | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Salem dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $74,810 | $77,850 | $78,204 (+4.5%) |
| Software Developers | $131,620 | $128,770 | $129,355 (−1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $87,480 | $99,550 | $100,002 (+14.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $131,750 | $99,990 | $100,444 (−23.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.