City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 2.2% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $102,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Anchorage, AK to Trenton, NJ ($120,348 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- 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
| Anchorage, AK | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,875 in Trenton | $102,171 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
76 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Anchorage → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $72,737 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $88,005 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $105,481 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $125,431 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $148,222 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $77,850 | $79,540 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $128,770 | $131,566 (+26.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $99,550 | $101,711 (+23.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $99,990 | $102,161 (−11.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.