City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 6.5% higher than in Tucson, AZ. Someone earning $100,000 in Tucson, AZ would need about $106,500 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 $1,081 in Tucson, AZ. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 17% in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,889 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −13.5% moving from Trenton, NJ to Tucson, AZ ($125,431 → $108,455), while prices change by −6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.9% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,910 in Tucson | $106,485 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Tucson, AZ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,889/yr.
89 Strong offer
Tucson, AZ → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,889/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Trenton → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $62,893 | −7.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $76,095 | −7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $91,205 | −7.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $108,455 | −7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $128,162 | −7.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $47,220 | $50,282 (−35.4%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $123,710 | $131,733 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $76,320 | $81,270 (−18.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $94,110 | $100,213 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.