City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Waterbury, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 3.4% higher than in Waterbury, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Waterbury, CT would need about $103,400 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,445 in Waterbury, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 23% in Waterbury, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Waterbury, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $125,431 in either. A transfer from Trenton, NJ to Waterbury, CT changes real buying power by +3.4%, purely from prices.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Waterbury, CT: price level 99.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Waterbury, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 99.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,703 in Waterbury | $103,410 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $1,445/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Waterbury-Shelton, CT MSA. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Waterbury-Shelton, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Waterbury |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 89.1 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 147.6 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 99.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Waterbury, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
79 Strong offer
Waterbury, CT → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Waterbury, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Waterbury, CT | Real change, Trenton → Waterbury |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $72,737 | +3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $88,005 | +3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $105,481 | +3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $125,431 | +3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $148,222 | +3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Waterbury, CT | Waterbury pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $79,640 | $82,355 (+5.8%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $131,290 | $135,766 (+5.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $93,010 | $96,181 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $101,690 | $105,157 (+5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.