City comparison
Provo, UT vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 5.0% higher than in Provo, UT. Someone earning $100,000 in Provo, UT would need about $105,000 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 $1,265 in Provo, UT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 20% in Provo, UT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $646 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Provo, UT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Provo, UT to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +12.2% in real buying power.
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (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
| Provo, UT | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,037 in Trenton | $95,204 in Provo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,265/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,646 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,534 (UT) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,010 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Provo | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 104.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 78.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 98.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Provo, UT → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$646/yr.
54 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Provo, UT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$646/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Provo, UT is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Provo, UT to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Provo, UT | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Provo → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +12.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +12.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +12.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +12.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +12.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Provo, UT | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Provo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $77,850 | $74,117 (+17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $131,210 | $128,770 | $122,595 (−6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,700 | $99,550 | $94,776 (+25.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,780 | $99,990 | $95,195 (+16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.