City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 2.3% higher than in Ann Arbor, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI would need about $102,300 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 $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $4,180 in NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Trenton, NJ ($117,402 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- 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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,280 in Trenton | $97,771 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
62 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Ann Arbor → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $72,737 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $88,005 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $105,481 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $125,431 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $148,222 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $77,850 | $76,115 (+18.8%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $128,770 | $125,900 (−0.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $99,550 | $97,331 (+21.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $99,990 | $97,761 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.