City comparison
Omaha, NE vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.3% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $112,300 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $510 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Omaha, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.7% moving from Omaha, NE to Trenton, NJ ($107,501 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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
| Omaha, NE | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,261 in Trenton | $89,078 in Omaha |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,148/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,660 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Omaha, NE-IA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Omaha | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.4 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 76.4 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Omaha, NE → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$510/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$510/yr.
100 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Omaha, NE is in the Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Omaha, NE to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Omaha, NE | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Omaha → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,339 | $72,737 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,425 | $88,005 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,402 | $105,481 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,501 | $125,431 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,033 | $148,222 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Omaha, NE | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Omaha dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $95,700 | $129,540 | $115,392 (+20.6%) |
| Software Developers | $125,220 | $128,770 | $114,706 (−8.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,030 | $99,550 | $88,677 (+15.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,600 | $99,990 | $89,069 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.