City comparison
Springfield, MA vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 7.4% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $107,400 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Springfield, MA to Trenton, NJ ($120,094 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (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
| Springfield, MA | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.1 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,411 in Trenton | $93,100 in Springfield |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,382/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,400 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,780 (MA) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,930 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Springfield, MA MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Springfield, MA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Springfield | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.8 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.0 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 155.0 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 101.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 96.1 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Springfield, MA → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
47 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Springfield, MA is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Springfield, MA to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Springfield, MA | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Springfield → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $72,737 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $88,005 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $105,481 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $125,431 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $148,222 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Springfield, MA | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Springfield dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,640 | $77,850 | $72,479 (−9.0%) |
| Software Developers | $127,740 | $128,770 | $119,885 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,010 | $99,550 | $92,681 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,410 | $99,990 | $93,091 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.