City comparison
Rockford, IL vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.0% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $112,000 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 $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $625 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Rockford, IL to Trenton, NJ ($118,984 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.8% in real buying power.
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (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
| Rockford, IL | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.2 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,965 in Trenton | $89,314 in Rockford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $895/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,375 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,805 (IL) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,120 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Rockford, IL MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Rockford, IL and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Rockford | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.1 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 89.4 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 92.2 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Rockford, IL → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$625/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$625/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Rockford, IL is in the Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Rockford, IL to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Rockford, IL | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Rockford → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,999 | $72,737 | −5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,482 | $88,005 | −5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,059 | $105,481 | −5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,984 | $125,431 | −5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,604 | $148,222 | −5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Rockford, IL | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Rockford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,200 | $77,850 | $69,531 (+8.3%) |
| Software Developers | $107,640 | $128,770 | $115,009 (+6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,260 | $99,550 | $88,912 (+18.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,930 | $99,990 | $89,305 (+10.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.