City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 12.1% higher than in Winston, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Winston, NC would need about $112,100 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 $1,082 in Winston, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 17% in Winston, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Winston, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Trenton, NJ to Winston, NC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,206 in Winston | $112,100 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $46,380 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Winston, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
100 Strong offer
Winston, NC → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.8%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Winston, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Winston, NC | Real change, Trenton → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $56,510 | $63,348 (−18.6%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $124,130 | $139,149 (+8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $78,950 | $88,503 (−11.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $86,120 | $96,540 (−3.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.