City comparison
Austin, TX vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 5.2% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $105,200 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,562 a month in Austin, TX and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.6% moving from Austin, TX to Trenton, NJ ($109,428 → $125,431), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.9% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,215 in Trenton | $95,044 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
53 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Austin → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $72,737 | +8.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $88,005 | +8.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $105,481 | +8.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $125,431 | +8.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $148,222 | +8.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $77,850 | $73,991 (+20.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $128,770 | $122,388 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $99,550 | $94,616 (+13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $99,990 | $95,034 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.