City comparison
Oklahoma City, OK vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 14.1% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $114,100 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 $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,955 a year in OK and $4,180 in NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Oklahoma City, OK to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +14.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (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
| Oklahoma City, OK | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,127 in Trenton | $87,622 in Oklahoma City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,017/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,226 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,955 (OK) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,230 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Oklahoma City, OK and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Oklahoma City | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.9 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 74.1 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 90.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Oklahoma City, OK → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$226/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Oklahoma City, OK
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$226/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Oklahoma City, OK 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 Oklahoma City, OK to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Oklahoma City, OK | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Oklahoma City → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Oklahoma City, OK | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Oklahoma City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $48,780 | $77,850 | $68,213 (+39.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,390 | $128,770 | $112,830 (−7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,280 | $99,550 | $87,227 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,920 | $99,990 | $87,613 (+5.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.