City comparison
Toledo, OH vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.8% higher than in Toledo, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Toledo, OH would need about $112,800 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 $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Toledo, OH to Trenton, NJ ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.5% in real buying power.
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much 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
| Toledo, OH | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,821 in Trenton | $88,636 in Toledo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $820/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,220 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Toledo, OH MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Toledo, OH and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Toledo | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.3 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 96.3 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Toledo, OH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
38 Weak offer
Trenton, NJ → Toledo, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Toledo, OH 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 Toledo, OH to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Toledo, OH | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Toledo → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Toledo, OH | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Toledo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,250 | $77,850 | $69,003 (+9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,360 | $128,770 | $114,137 (+9.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,400 | $99,550 | $88,238 (+14.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,050 | $99,990 | $88,627 (+9.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.