City comparison
Richmond, VA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 5.4% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $105,400 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $756 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Richmond, VA to Trenton, NJ ($111,183 → $125,431), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.0% in real buying power.
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (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
| Richmond, VA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.9 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,438 in Trenton | $94,842 in Richmond |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,244 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,936 (VA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,460 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Richmond, VA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Richmond, VA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Richmond | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 99.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 96.8 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 97.9 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Richmond, VA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$756/yr.
53 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$756/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Richmond, VA is in the Richmond, VA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Richmond, VA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Richmond, VA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Richmond → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,475 | $72,737 | +7.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,009 | $88,005 | +7.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,499 | $105,481 | +7.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,183 | $125,431 | +7.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,385 | $148,222 | +7.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Richmond, VA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Richmond dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,290 | $77,850 | $73,835 (+20.5%) |
| Software Developers | $132,120 | $128,770 | $122,128 (−7.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,220 | $99,550 | $94,415 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $93,580 | $99,990 | $94,833 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.