City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.9% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $112,900 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 $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $493 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (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
| Fayetteville, AR | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,946 in Trenton | $88,538 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$493/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$493/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR 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 Fayetteville, AR to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Fayetteville → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $77,850 | $68,926 (+13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $128,770 | $114,010 (+8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $99,550 | $88,139 (+14.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $99,990 | $88,529 (+13.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.