City comparison
Olympia, WA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Olympia, WA (103.7) and Trenton, NJ (103.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Olympia, WA goes as far as $99,500 in Trenton, NJ.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,180 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.8% moving from Olympia, WA to Trenton, NJ ($119,630 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.3% in real buying power.
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
- 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
| Olympia, WA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,527 in Trenton | $100,475 in Olympia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,682/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (WA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,960 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Seattle-Tacoma, WA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Olympia | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 116.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 105.0 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 91.7 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.5 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 103.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Olympia, WA → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$4,180/yr.
70 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Olympia, WA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$4,180/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Olympia, WA is in the Seattle-Tacoma, WA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Olympia, WA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Olympia, WA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Olympia → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,373 | $72,737 | +5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,935 | $88,005 | +5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,602 | $105,481 | +5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $119,630 | $125,431 | +5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,367 | $148,222 | +5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Olympia, WA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Olympia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $104,650 | $77,850 | $78,220 (−25.3%) |
| Software Developers | $124,060 | $128,770 | $129,382 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $94,470 | $99,550 | $100,023 (+5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,020 | $99,990 | $100,465 (−19.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.