City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 2.9% higher than in Detroit, MI. Someone earning $100,000 in Detroit, MI would need about $102,900 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 $1,122 in Detroit, MI. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Detroit, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $4,180 in NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.8% moving from Detroit, MI to Trenton, NJ ($117,402 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (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
| Detroit, MI | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,873 in Trenton | $97,207 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$181/yr.
60 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Detroit, MI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$181/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Detroit → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $72,737 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $88,005 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $105,481 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $125,431 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $148,222 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $77,850 | $75,676 (+16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $128,770 | $125,173 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $99,550 | $96,769 (+20.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $99,990 | $97,197 (−0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.