City comparison
Atlantic City, NJ vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 4.4% higher than in Atlantic City, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Atlantic City, NJ would need about $104,400 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- Both are in NJ, so estimated state income tax is the same: $4,180 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.9% moving from Atlantic City, NJ to Trenton, NJ ($117,284 → $125,431), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.5% in real buying power.
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (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
| Atlantic City, NJ | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,373 in Trenton | $95,810 in Atlantic City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,520 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Atlantic City | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 109.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 98.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Atlantic City, NJ → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
56 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Atlantic City, NJ is in the Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Atlantic City, NJ to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Atlantic City, NJ | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Atlantic City → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,013 | $72,737 | +2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,289 | $88,005 | +2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,630 | $105,481 | +2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,284 | $125,431 | +2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,595 | $148,222 | +2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Atlantic City, NJ | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Atlantic City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,480 | $77,850 | $74,588 (−7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $126,670 | $128,770 | $123,375 (−2.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,040 | $99,550 | $95,379 (+14.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,320 | $99,990 | $95,801 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.