City comparison
Rochester, NY vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 6.3% higher than in Rochester, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Rochester, NY would need about $106,300 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 $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $680 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.0% moving from Rochester, NY to Trenton, NJ ($107,182 → $125,431), while prices change by +6.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.1% in real buying power.
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (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
| Rochester, NY | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,333 in Trenton | $94,044 in Rochester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,256/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,210 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Rochester, NY MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Rochester, NY and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rochester | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.5 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 133.2 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rochester, NY → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$680/yr.
50 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Rochester, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$680/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rochester, NY is in the Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rochester, NY to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rochester, NY | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Rochester → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,155 | $72,737 | +10.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,202 | $88,005 | +10.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,135 | $105,481 | +10.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,182 | $125,431 | +10.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,657 | $148,222 | +10.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rochester, NY | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Rochester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,840 | $77,850 | $73,214 (+16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,770 | $128,770 | $121,101 (−1.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,890 | $99,550 | $93,621 (+15.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,570 | $99,990 | $94,035 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.