City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 11.5% higher than in Waco, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Waco, TX would need about $111,500 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 $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Waco, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Trenton, NJ to Waco, TX ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,698 in Waco | $111,486 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Waco, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
100 Strong offer
Waco, TX → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Waco, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Waco, TX | Real change, Trenton → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $59,100 | $65,888 (−15.4%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $123,080 | $137,217 (+6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $76,140 | $84,885 (−14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $92,890 | $103,559 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.