City comparison
Madison, WI vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 6.1% higher than in Madison, WI. Someone earning $100,000 in Madison, WI would need about $106,100 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,482 a month in Madison, WI and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $261 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Madison, WI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Madison, WI to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.1% in real buying power.
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (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
| Madison, WI | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,057 in Trenton | $94,289 in Madison |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,482/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,080 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Madison, WI and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Madison | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.8 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Madison, WI → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$261/yr.
51 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Madison, WI
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$261/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Madison, WI 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 Madison, WI to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Madison, WI | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Madison → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +11.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +11.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +11.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +11.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +11.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Madison, WI | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Madison dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,690 | $77,850 | $73,404 (+15.3%) |
| Software Developers | $130,630 | $128,770 | $121,415 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,130 | $99,550 | $93,864 (+15.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,190 | $99,990 | $94,279 (−6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.