Moving from Philadelphia to Trenton
Your paycheck buys slightly more in Trenton than in Philadelphia (+2.5%). Compare taxes, rent, home prices and the cost of the move.
Equal salary in Trenton: $87,300
Compare any two of 149 U.S. metro areas. All cities
To keep the same lifestyle, you need about $87,300 in Trenton, NJ to match $90,000 in Philadelphia, PA ($2,700 less), after 2026 taxes and local prices.
Single filer, W-2 salary. Uses Pennsylvania and New Jersey state income tax; includes Philadelphia resident tax $3,362 (inside city limits).
Philadelphia vs Trenton: key facts
- Median rent
- $1,567 → $1,744/mo
- Median home value
- $375,100 → $436,500
- Median household income
- $90,850 → $104,148
- Price level (U.S. = 100)
- 102.6 → 103.2
- Natural hazard risk (FEMA)
- Among the highest (94.5 → 95.4 of 100)
Philadelphia vs Trenton cost of living
The vertical line marks the U.S. average (100).
| Measure | Philadelphia, PA | Trenton, NJ |
|---|---|---|
| Overall price level (U.S. = 100) | 102.6 | 103.2 |
| Median rent | $1,567 | $1,744 |
| Income to rent affordably (30%) | $62,680 | $69,760 |
| Median home value | $375,100 | $436,500 |
| Monthly cost to own (20% down) | $2,498 | $3,151 |
| Income needed to buy | $107,073 | $135,055 |
| Median property tax | $5,016 | $8,709 |
| State income tax on $90,000 | $2,763 | $3,543 |
| City income tax (inside city limits) | $3,362 | None |
| Metro population | 6,330,422 | 392,138 |
Metro-area figures (Census ACS 2024, BEA 2024). Taxes use each metro's principal state, plus the income tax the principal city charges its residents. Commuters who live elsewhere often pay a nonresident rate, and many suburbs levy their own local tax, so unticking a city's box in the calculator estimates a typical suburban rate for it instead.
- Philadelphia, PA: Philadelphia residents pay a 3.735% wage tax on all earnings (from July 1, 2026; 3.74% before). If you live outside Philadelphia but work in the city, you pay the 3.425% nonresident wage tax on those wages instead of your home town's tax. Most Pennsylvania suburbs charge their own earned income tax, usually 1%; the New Jersey suburbs have no local income tax. Take-home figures include the resident tax.
Your yearly budget: Philadelphia vs Trenton
On a $90,000 salary, taxes, housing, electricity, one car and health insurance for one adult come to $54,796 a year in Philadelphia and $54,660 in Trenton if you rent: $136 less after the move. If you buy the median home, they come to $65,972 and $71,547 ($5,575 more).
Your yearly budget, before vs after
| Yearly cost | PhiladelphiaBefore | TrentonAfter | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income and payroll taxes on $90,000, single filer | $24,043 | $21,966 | -$2,077 |
| Electricity state average bill | $1,742 | $1,538 | -$204 |
| Car insurance one car, state average | $1,155 | $1,573 | +$418 |
| Gas 12,000 miles at 25 mpg | $2,188 | $2,115 | -$73 |
| Health insurance one adult, age 40, own plan before subsidies | $6,864 | $6,540 | -$324 |
| If you rent | |||
| Rent median, 12 months | $18,804 | $20,928 | +$2,124 |
| Total if you rent | $54,796 | $54,660 | -$136 |
| If you buy the median home (20% down) | |||
| Mortgage payment median home, 20% down, 6.95% | $23,836 | $27,738 | +$3,902 |
| Property tax median home | $5,016 | $8,709 | +$3,693 |
| Homeowners insurance state median, with a mortgage | $1,128 | $1,368 | +$240 |
| Total if you buy | $65,972 | $71,547 | +$5,575 |
Taxes: 2026 federal and state rules, plus the principal city's resident income tax where it has one, standard deduction. Rent, home value and property tax: Census ACS 2024 metro-area medians. Mortgage: Freddie Mac 30-year average (6.95%, week of September 17, 2026).
State figures for the principal state: EIA 2024 average residential power bill, NAIC 2023 auto insurance (average per car), Census ACS 2024 homeowners insurance (median for owners with a mortgage; premiums have risen since), AAA regular gas on September 23, 2026, and the KFF 2026 benchmark silver Marketplace premium. Job-based health coverage usually costs you less, and in 2026 incomes between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level can get a premium tax credit.
Not included: sales tax (combined state and local rates are not in our data yet), food, car payments and other spending.
Child care is not in the totals. Full-time center care for one infant averages $14,910 a year in Philadelphia and $20,213 in Trenton (Child Care Aware of America, 2024 state averages).
Who moves from Philadelphia to Trenton
About 1,659 households (2,604 people) moved from the Philadelphia metro area to the Trenton metro area in 2022–2023, making Trenton the #6 destination for people leaving Philadelphia among the 149 metro areas we cover. 2,828 households moved the other way. Their average adjusted gross income was $71,635.
Cost to move from Philadelphia to Trenton
| Moving method (2–3 bedrooms) | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Rental truck (DIY) | $310–$600 |
| Moving container | $1,090–$2,030 |
| Full-service movers | $1,830–$4,860 |
At about 30 miles, this move is shorter than the long-distance routes these ranges are modeled on. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
Natural hazard risk: Philadelphia vs Trenton
FEMA's National Risk Index rates the Philadelphia area among the highest (score 94.5) and the Trenton area among the highest (score 95.4), on a 0–100 national percentile scale. Expected yearly losses from natural hazards average $339 vs $456 per resident.
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
The vertical line marks the middle of U.S. counties (50).
Frequently asked questions
Is Trenton cheaper than Philadelphia?
Overall prices in the Trenton area are 0.6% higher than in Philadelphia (BEA Regional Price Parities 2024). Median rent is $1,744 vs $1,567 a month, and the median home is $436,500 vs $375,100.
What salary do I need in Trenton to match $100,000 in Philadelphia?
About $97,400, after 2026 federal taxes and local prices. Uses Pennsylvania and New Jersey state income tax.
How much does it cost to move from Philadelphia to Trenton?
For a 2–3 bedroom home over about 30 miles: roughly $310–$600 with a rental truck, $1,090–$2,030 with a container, or $1,830–$4,860 with full-service movers. A move this short is often priced by the hour, so quotes can come in lower.
How many people move from Philadelphia to Trenton?
IRS county migration data for 2022–2023 show about 1,659 households (2,604 people) moved from the Philadelphia metro area to the Trenton metro area, and 2,828 moved the other way.
Related
Where people from Philadelphia move
- Philadelphia to New York 10,894 households
- Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. 2,932 households
- Philadelphia to Allentown 2,110 households
- Philadelphia to Baltimore 2,058 households
- Philadelphia to Miami 1,890 households
- Philadelphia to Boston 1,495 households
- Philadelphia to Los Angeles 1,467 households
- Philadelphia to Tampa 1,429 households