Cost of Living in Trenton, New Jersey
Rent, everyday costs and taxes in Trenton, what each job keeps after paying them, and how the city compares with the rest of the US.
- Population
- 91,506
- Median household income
- $55,393
- Cost of living (US = 100)
- 103.2
- Unemployment rate
- 10.4%
Is Trenton a good place to live?
Trenton is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 172 of the 178 other large US cities we track.
A typical worker in Trenton keeps $14,582 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs. Try your job
- Cost of living3% above the US average (BEA, 2024)
- Rent$1,513 a month for a 1-bedroom (HUD)
- Taxes$1,960 of state income tax on a typical wage
Cost of living in Trenton
Prices in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ area run 3% above the US average. Housing is the biggest difference, at 35% above the US average.
- Housing35% above the US average
- Goods (food, clothing, cars)About the same as the US average
- Utilities12% above the US average
- Other services (healthcare and more)2% below the US average
- All items3% above the US average
Monthly budget for one person
| Cost | Monthly | Yearly |
|---|---|---|
| Rent, 1-bedroom | $1,513 | $18,156 |
| Food | $493 | $5,916 |
| Transportation | $390 | $4,680 |
| Healthcare | $345 | $4,140 |
| Utilities | $292 | $3,504 |
| Total before taxes | $3,033 | $36,396 |
Rent by apartment size
| Monthly rent | Trenton | Whole metro area |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,331 | $1,561 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,513 | $1,764 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,916 | $2,242 |
| 3 bedrooms | $2,338 | $2,741 |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,629 | $3,081 |
Living in Trenton
How Trenton compares with the US on income, housing, work and commuting (Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year).
| Measure | Trenton | US |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $55,393 | $81,604 |
| Median home value | $232,100 | $360,600 |
| Median rent paid | $1,390 | $1,487 |
| Households renting | 62.9% | 34.7% |
| Unemployment rate | 10.4% | 4.6% |
| Living below the poverty line | 22.4% | 12.2% |
| Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher | 15.1% | 36.9% |
| Median age | 31.4 years | 39.2 years |
| Average commute, one way | 26.9 minutes | 27.2 minutes |
| Working from home | 7.8% | 13.3% |
| Commuting by public transit | 5.4% | 3.7% |
Home internet
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Trenton, led by Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. Fiber reaches 88.1% of homes and 99% can get gigabit speeds.
Pros and cons of living in Trenton
Pros
- Paychecks go further. A typical worker keeps $14,582 a year after taxes, rent and everyday costs, more than in 172 of 178 large cities.
- Affordable homes to buy. The median home is worth $232,100, against $360,600 nationally.
- Fast home internet. 99% of homes can get gigabit speeds (FCC).
Cons
- Higher unemployment. Unemployment is 10.4%, against 4.6% nationally (ACS 2024 1-year).
- Higher poverty rate. 22.4% of residents live below the poverty line, against 12.2% nationally.
- Lower incomes. Median household income is $55,393, against $81,604 nationally.
- Higher cost of living. Prices are 3% above the US average (BEA, 2024).
What your job keeps in Trenton
Pick a job, or enter your salary, to see what's left after federal, payroll, state and local taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
- Typical salary
- $63,490
- Federal income tax
- −$5,439
- Payroll taxes
- −$5,124
- State income tax
- −$1,960
- Rent, 1-bedroom
- −$18,156
- Everyday costs
- −$18,229
a year, or $1,215 a month
Pay: BLS OEWS Trenton-Princeton, NJ. Rent: HUD FY2027. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local schedules for a single filer.
What the most common jobs keep here
The 10 jobs we cover with the most workers in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ area.
| Job | Median pay | You keep |
|---|---|---|
| Lawyer | $138,760 | $62,492 |
| Software engineer | $128,770 | $56,341 |
| Project manager | $113,750 | $46,934 |
| Financial analyst | $101,280 | $39,008 |
| Civil engineer | $101,090 | $38,888 |
| Registered nurse | $99,990 | $38,189 |
| Accountant | $99,550 | $37,909 |
| Teacher | $78,243 | $24,367 |
| Truck driver | $59,460 | $11,585 |
| Nursing assistant | $45,980 | $1,553 |
Other jobs, A–Z
What each keeps in Trenton on its median pay. Pick one in the calculator above for the full breakdown.
- Auto mechanic $9,418
- Carpenter $16,219
- Data scientist $60,374
- Dental assistant $10,051
- Dental hygienist $38,780
- Dentist $112,543
- Diesel mechanic $18,741
- Electrician $37,057
- Firefighter $30,625
- HVAC technician $22,451
- Licensed practical nurse $22,541
- Lineman $51,910
- Mechanical engineer $39,129
- Medical assistant $1,532
- Nurse practitioner $71,646
- Occupational therapist $39,066
- Paralegal $21,170
- Paramedic $29,697
- Pharmacist $62,584
- Pharmacy technician −$4,368
- Physical therapist $43,458
- Physician assistant $62,565
- Plumber $23,170
- Police officer $18,536
- Radiologic technologist $35,538
- Respiratory therapist $38,710
- Social worker $20,868
- Speech-language pathologist $34,897
- Veterinarian $69,731
- Welder $7,998
Compare Trenton with other cities
Compare Trenton with another city: any city or state, any of our 40 jobs.
Moving to Trenton
No licensed interstate movers list an address in Trenton itself, and 9 more elsewhere in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ area (FMCSA, household-goods authority).
Questions people ask
Is Trenton, NJ a good place to live?
Trenton is a good place to live if you want your pay to go further: a typical worker keeps more here than in 172 of the 178 other large US cities we track. The typical worker here earns $63,490 and keeps $14,582 a year after federal, payroll and state taxes, a 1-bedroom rent and everyday costs.
What is the cost of living in Trenton?
Prices in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ area are 3% above the US average (BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024). A 1-bedroom rents for $1,513 a month (HUD fair market rent, FY2027), and everyday costs for one person, covering food, transportation, healthcare and utilities, come to about $1,519 a month.
How much do you need to earn to live in Trenton?
A single person renting a 1-bedroom alone needs about $43,900 a year before tax to cover taxes, rent and everyday costs, with nothing left over. The typical worker in the Trenton-Princeton, NJ area earns $63,490.
What is the average rent in Trenton?
HUD's fair market rent for FY2027 is $1,331 for a studio, $1,513 for a 1-bedroom and $1,916 for a 2-bedroom. The Census Bureau puts the median rent paid in Trenton at $1,390 a month (2024).
Does Trenton have a state or city income tax?
Yes. On a typical wage of $63,490, New Jersey state income tax comes to about $1,960 a year. Trenton has no local income tax on wages.
What internet providers serve Trenton?
4 providers offer home internet to at least a quarter of Trenton, led by Xfinity, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T. 88.1% of homes can get fiber and 99% can get gigabit speeds (FCC National Broadband Map).
Sources and method
Everyday costs: BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey 2024 (one-person households) × CPI-U to August 2026 × BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Taxes assume a single filer with the standard deduction and wage income only.
- Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population estimates
- Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates
- BLS OEWS May 2025, metropolitan area estimates
- HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents, FY2027
- BLS Consumer Expenditure Surveys 2024, Table 1400 (size of consumer unit)
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U)
- BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2024
- FCC National Broadband Map, fixed broadband availability (data as of December 31, 2025, released 2026-09-29)
- FMCSA Carrier - All With History (operating authority and insurance)
Data compiled October 13, 2026. How we calculate