City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Baltimore, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 5.7% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $105,700 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,511 in Baltimore, MD.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $4,180 a year in NJ and $4,386 in MD.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.8% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Baltimore, MD ($117,284 → $121,785), while prices change by +5.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Atlantic City, NJ | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 104.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,695 in Baltimore | $94,612 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,511/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $59,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 118.2 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 102.4 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 110.2 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 101.5 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 104.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
52 Fair offer
Baltimore, MD → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Baltimore, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Baltimore, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Baltimore, MD | Real change, Atlantic City → Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $70,623 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $85,447 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $102,415 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $121,785 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $143,913 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $76,400 | $72,283 (−10.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $138,900 | $131,416 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $85,160 | $80,571 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $99,550 | $94,186 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.