City comparison
Phoenix, AZ vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Phoenix, AZ (103.3) and Trenton, NJ (103.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Phoenix, AZ goes as far as $99,900 in Trenton, NJ.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,583 a month in Phoenix, AZ and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,889 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Phoenix, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.7% moving from Phoenix, AZ to Trenton, NJ ($111,338 → $125,431), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.8% in real buying power.
- Phoenix, AZ: price level 103.3 (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
| Phoenix, AZ | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.3 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,868 in Trenton | $100,132 in Phoenix |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,583/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,889 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,291 (AZ) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,380 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Phoenix-Mesa, AZ | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Phoenix | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 121.2 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 95.0 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 93.3 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 104.0 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 103.3 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Phoenix, AZ → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,889/yr.
69 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Phoenix, AZ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,889/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Phoenix, AZ is in the Phoenix-Mesa, AZ pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Phoenix, AZ to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Phoenix, AZ | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Phoenix → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,564 | $72,737 | +12.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,117 | $88,005 | +12.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,629 | $105,481 | +12.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,338 | $125,431 | +12.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,568 | $148,222 | +12.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Phoenix, AZ | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Phoenix dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,180 | $77,850 | $77,953 (+31.7%) |
| Software Developers | $131,750 | $128,770 | $128,940 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,820 | $99,550 | $99,681 (+23.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $100,830 | $99,990 | $100,122 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.