City comparison
Syracuse, 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 7.8% higher than in Syracuse, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Syracuse, NY would need about $107,800 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 $1,123 in Syracuse, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 18% in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $680 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Syracuse, NY to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.4% in real buying power.
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (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
| Syracuse, NY | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,769 in Trenton | $92,791 in Syracuse |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,123/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 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,990 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Syracuse, NY MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Syracuse, NY and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Syracuse | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 80.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 133.4 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Syracuse, NY → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$680/yr.
46 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Syracuse, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$680/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Syracuse, NY 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 Syracuse, NY to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Syracuse, NY | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Syracuse → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +9.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +9.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +9.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +9.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +9.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Syracuse, NY | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Syracuse dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $77,850 | $72,238 (−8.0%) |
| Software Developers | $129,100 | $128,770 | $119,487 (−7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,230 | $99,550 | $92,374 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,960 | $99,990 | $92,782 (+6.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.