City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 11.3% higher than in Utica, NY. Someone earning $100,000 in Utica, NY would need about $111,300 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 $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $680 a year higher in Utica, NY than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Trenton, NJ to Utica, NY ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.5% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,822 in Utica | $111,332 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Utica, NY
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$680/yr.
100 Strong offer
Utica, NY → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$680/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Utica, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Utica, NY | Real change, Trenton → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $77,010 | $85,737 (+10.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $113,390 | $126,239 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $79,830 | $88,876 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $94,300 | $104,986 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.