City comparison
Fort Wayne, IN vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 11.5% higher than in Fort Wayne, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Fort Wayne, IN would need about $111,500 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 $916 in Fort Wayne, IN. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 14% in Fort Wayne, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,260 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Fort Wayne, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Fort Wayne, IN to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +11.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Fort Wayne, IN: price level 92.6 (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
| Fort Wayne, IN | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.6 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,459 in Trenton | $89,719 in Fort Wayne |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $916/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,700 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Fort Wayne, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Fort Wayne, IN and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Wayne | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 86.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 92.6 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Wayne, IN → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,260/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Fort Wayne, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,260/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Wayne, IN 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 Fort Wayne, IN to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Wayne, IN | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Fort Wayne → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Wayne, IN | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Fort Wayne dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,800 | $77,850 | $69,846 (+16.8%) |
| Software Developers | $101,560 | $128,770 | $115,531 (+13.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,250 | $99,550 | $89,315 (+18.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,630 | $99,990 | $89,710 (+12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.