City comparison
Akron, OH vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 10.5% higher than in Akron, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Akron, OH would need about $110,500 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 $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Akron, OH to Trenton, NJ ($111,138 → $125,431), while prices change by +10.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (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
| Akron, OH | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,507 in Trenton | $90,492 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
39 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Akron, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Akron → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $72,737 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $88,005 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $105,481 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $125,431 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $148,222 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $77,850 | $70,448 (−10.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $128,770 | $116,527 (+10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $99,550 | $90,085 (+14.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $99,990 | $90,483 (+12.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.