City comparison
St. Louis, MO vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.5% higher than in St. Louis, MO. Someone earning $100,000 in St. Louis, MO would need about $108,500 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 $995 in St. Louis, MO. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 16% in St. Louis, MO.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $417 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in St. Louis, MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.9% moving from St. Louis, MO to Trenton, NJ ($109,137 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.9% in real buying power.
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (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
| St. Louis, MO | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.1 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,510 in Trenton | $92,157 in St. Louis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $995/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,417 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,763 (MO) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: St. Louis, MO-IL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | St. Louis | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.0 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 100.0 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 69.9 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.1 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
St. Louis, MO → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$417/yr.
44 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → St. Louis, MO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$417/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
St. Louis, MO is in the St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from St. Louis, MO to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | St. Louis, MO | Trenton, NJ | Real change, St. Louis → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,288 | $72,737 | +5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,573 | $88,005 | +5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,779 | $105,481 | +5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,137 | $125,431 | +5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,967 | $148,222 | +5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | St. Louis, MO | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in St. Louis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,650 | $77,850 | $71,745 (+18.3%) |
| Software Developers | $129,030 | $128,770 | $118,671 (−8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,880 | $99,550 | $91,743 (+16.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,180 | $99,990 | $92,148 (+10.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.