City comparison
Portland, OR vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 2.2% higher than in Trenton, NJ. Someone earning $100,000 in Trenton, NJ would need about $102,200 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,545 in Trenton, NJ. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 25% in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,740 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Portland, OR to Trenton, NJ ($114,684 → $125,431), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.7% in real buying power.
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (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
| Portland, OR | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,874 in Trenton | $102,172 in Portland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,677/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,690 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Portland | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 100.1 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Portland, OR → Trenton, NJ
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,740/yr.
76 Strong offer
Trenton, NJ → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$3,740/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Portland, OR is in the Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Portland, OR to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Portland, OR | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Portland → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $66,505 | $72,737 | +11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $80,465 | $88,005 | +11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $96,443 | $105,481 | +11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $114,684 | $125,431 | +11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $135,522 | $148,222 | +11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Portland, OR | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Portland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $82,330 | $77,850 | $79,541 (−3.4%) |
| Software Developers | $156,000 | $128,770 | $131,567 (−15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,200 | $99,550 | $101,712 (+10.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $130,310 | $99,990 | $102,162 (−21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.