City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Trenton, NJ (103.2) and Worcester, MA (102.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Trenton, NJ goes as far as $99,400 in Worcester, MA.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,545 a month in Trenton, NJ and $1,599 in Worcester, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $600 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Trenton, NJ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.9% moving from Trenton, NJ to Worcester, MA ($125,431 → $120,548), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,363 in Worcester | $100,641 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Worcester, MA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$600/yr.
70 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Trenton, NJ
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$600/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Worcester, MA | Real change, Trenton → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $69,905 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $84,579 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $101,375 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $120,548 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $142,452 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $82,810 | $83,341 (+7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $146,950 | $147,892 (+14.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $94,070 | $94,673 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $100,240 | $100,882 (+0.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.