City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs York, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 7.5% higher than in York, PA. Someone earning $100,000 in York, PA would need about $107,500 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 $1,060 in York, PA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 17% in York, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,110 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in York, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.9% moving from Trenton, NJ to York, PA ($125,431 → $121,785), while prices change by −7.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- York, PA: price level 96.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | York, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 96.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,041 in York | $107,479 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $1,060/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $48,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and York-Hanover, PA MSA. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and York-Hanover, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | York |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 96.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → York, PA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,110/yr.
92 Strong offer
York, PA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,110/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; York, PA is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to York, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | York, PA | Real change, Trenton → York |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $70,623 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $85,447 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $102,415 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $121,785 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $143,913 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | York, PA | York pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $79,730 | $85,693 (+10.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $114,600 | $123,171 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $75,160 | $80,781 (−18.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $96,210 | $103,406 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.