City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 2.0% higher than in Fort Collins, CO. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Collins, CO would need about $102,000 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $488 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Fort Collins, CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Fort Collins, CO to Trenton, NJ ($118,675 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.6% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (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
| Fort Collins, CO | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,029 in Trenton | $98,011 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$488/yr.
63 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$488/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fort Collins, CO to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Fort Collins → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $72,737 | +3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $88,005 | +3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $105,481 | +3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $125,431 | +3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $148,222 | +3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $77,850 | $76,302 (+21.2%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $128,770 | $126,209 (−5.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $99,550 | $97,570 (+9.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $99,990 | $98,001 (+0.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.