City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 1.6% higher than in Eugene, OR. Someone earning $100,000 in Eugene, OR would need about $101,600 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 $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,740 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Eugene, OR to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +1.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.0% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (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
| Eugene, OR | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,587 in Trenton | $98,438 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,740/yr.
64 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Eugene, OR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$3,740/yr.
74 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Eugene → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +16.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +16.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +16.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +16.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +16.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $77,850 | $76,634 (+19.3%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $128,770 | $126,758 (+4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $99,550 | $97,995 (+22.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $99,990 | $98,428 (−13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.