City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.2% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $112,200 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 $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.9% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Trenton, NJ ($111,147 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.6% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (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, NC | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,179 in Trenton | $89,143 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Fayetteville → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $72,737 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $88,005 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $105,481 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $125,431 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $148,222 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $77,850 | $69,398 (+27.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $128,770 | $114,790 (−6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $99,550 | $88,742 (+13.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $99,990 | $89,134 (+7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.