City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 15.9% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $115,900 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 $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $912 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Jackson, MS to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,870 in Trenton | $86,304 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$912/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$912/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS 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 Jackson, MS to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Jackson → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $77,850 | $67,187 (+33.7%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $128,770 | $111,133 (+14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $99,550 | $85,915 (+21.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $99,990 | $86,295 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.