City comparison
Portland, ME vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 1.3% higher than in Portland, ME. Someone earning $100,000 in Portland, ME would need about $101,300 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,474 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Portland, ME to Trenton, NJ ($120,548 → $125,431), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
- 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
| Portland, ME | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,298 in Trenton | $98,719 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,658/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $73,526 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,654 (ME) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 27% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,960 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Portland-South Portland, ME and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.2 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 134.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 103.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 101.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, ME → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$1,474/yr.
65 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,474/yr.
70 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, ME is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, ME to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, ME | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Portland → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $72,737 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $88,005 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $105,481 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $125,431 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $148,222 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, ME | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,770 | $77,850 | $76,853 (+0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,710 | $128,770 | $127,120 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,790 | $99,550 | $98,275 (+23.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $88,470 | $99,990 | $98,709 (+11.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.