City comparison
Des Moines, 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 12.5% higher than in Des Moines, IA. Someone earning $100,000 in Des Moines, IA would need about $112,500 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 $1,109 in Des Moines, IA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Des Moines, IA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,032 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Des Moines, IA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.9% moving from Des Moines, IA to Trenton, NJ ($107,301 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Des Moines, IA: price level 91.7 (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
| Des Moines, IA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,518 in Trenton | $88,875 in Des Moines |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,109/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 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,820 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Des Moines | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 84.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 92.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 91.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Des Moines, IA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,032/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Des Moines, IA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,032/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Des Moines, IA is in the Des Moines-Ames-West Des Moines, IA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Des Moines, IA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Des Moines, IA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Des Moines → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,223 | $72,737 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,284 | $88,005 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,234 | $105,481 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,301 | $125,431 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,797 | $148,222 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Des Moines, IA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Des Moines dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,650 | $77,850 | $69,189 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $126,460 | $128,770 | $114,444 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $99,550 | $88,475 (+11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,630 | $99,990 | $88,866 (+13.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.