City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 8.2% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $108,200 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.1% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Trenton, NJ ($110,865 → $125,431), while prices change by +8.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,189 in Trenton | $92,431 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
45 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Cincinnati → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $72,737 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $88,005 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $105,481 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $125,431 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $148,222 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $77,850 | $71,957 (+11.1%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $128,770 | $119,023 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $99,550 | $92,015 (+14.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $99,990 | $92,421 (+10.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.