City comparison
Charlotte, 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 6.0% higher than in Charlotte, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Charlotte, NC would need about $106,000 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Charlotte, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +15.3% moving from Charlotte, NC to Trenton, NJ ($108,810 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.8% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,991 in Trenton | $94,348 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/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 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
51 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Charlotte, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
87 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Charlotte → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $72,737 | +8.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $88,005 | +8.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $105,481 | +8.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $125,431 | +8.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $148,222 | +8.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $77,850 | $73,450 (+25.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $128,770 | $121,492 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $99,550 | $93,923 (+1.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $99,990 | $94,338 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.