City comparison
Trenton, NJ vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 18.1% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $118,100 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 $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Trenton, NJ and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,212 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Trenton, NJ to Youngstown, OH ($125,431 → $111,138), while prices change by −15.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Trenton, NJ | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 103.2 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,701 in Youngstown | $118,063 in Trenton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,545/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,000 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,180 (NJ) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $63,490 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Trenton-Princeton, NJ and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Trenton | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 135.1 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 99.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 112.3 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 97.9 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 103.2 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Trenton, NJ → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.1%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$2,212/yr.
100 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$2,212/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Trenton, NJ is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Trenton, NJ to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Trenton, NJ | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Trenton → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $64,448 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $77,977 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $93,461 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $111,138 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $131,331 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Trenton, NJ | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Trenton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,850 | $72,560 | $85,667 (+10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $128,770 | $107,990 | $127,496 (−1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,550 | $73,080 | $86,280 (−13.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,990 | $78,680 | $92,892 (−7.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.