City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 6.9% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $106,900 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Asheville, NC to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (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
| Asheville, NC | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,916 in Trenton | $93,532 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
49 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Asheville → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $77,850 | $72,814 (+45.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $128,770 | $120,441 (−10.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $99,550 | $93,111 (+15.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $99,990 | $93,522 (+14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.