City comparison
Davenport, IA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 15.8% higher than in Davenport, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Davenport, IA would need about $115,800 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 $928 in Davenport, IA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 15% in Davenport, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,032 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Davenport, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.0% moving from Davenport, IA to Trenton, NJ ($108,137 → $125,431), while prices change by +15.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Davenport, IA: price level 89.1 (much 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
| Davenport, IA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.1 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,830 in Trenton | $86,334 in Davenport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $928/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,032 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,148 (IA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,550 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Davenport-Moline, IA-IL | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Davenport | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 94.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.9 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 93.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 89.1 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Davenport, IA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,032/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Davenport, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,032/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Davenport, IA is in the Davenport-Moline, IA-IL pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Davenport, IA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Davenport, IA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Davenport → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,708 | $72,737 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,871 | $88,005 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,937 | $105,481 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,137 | $125,431 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,786 | $148,222 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Davenport, IA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Davenport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $77,850 | $67,211 (+9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $115,780 | $128,770 | $111,172 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,600 | $99,550 | $85,945 (+10.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,150 | $99,990 | $86,325 (+11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.