City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Austin, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Atlantic City, NJ (98.9) and Austin, TX (98.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ goes as far as $99,200 in Austin, TX.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,562 in Austin, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.7% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Austin, TX ($117,284 → $109,428), while prices change by −0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.9% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Austin, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 98.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,200 in Austin | $100,807 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,562/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $56,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Austin |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 120.4 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 98.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Austin, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
71 Strong offer
Austin, TX → Atlantic City, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Austin, TX is in Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Austin, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Austin, TX | Real change, Atlantic City → Austin |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $63,457 | −5.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $76,777 | −5.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $92,023 | −5.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $109,428 | −5.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $129,311 | −5.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Austin, TX | Austin pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $61,270 | $61,764 (−23.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $134,120 | $135,202 (+6.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $83,120 | $83,790 (+0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $97,890 | $98,680 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.