Trenton, NJ Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Trenton, NJ Summary

Cost of living in Trenton research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Trenton is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in New Jersey, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Trenton is 96, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Trenton is 1.0x lower than the national average.

  • Trenton ranks as the #5 cheapest in New Jersey out of 260.

  • Trenton ranks as the #2,104 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Trenton is $347,883.

  • The median income in Trenton is $47,102.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
96
Trenton's Overall Cost Of Living
1.0x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Trenton, NJ?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Trenton has an overall cost of living index of 96, which is 1.0x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to New Jersey, Trenton has a cost of living index that's 0.8x lower than New Jersey's index of 122.

The standard of living in Trenton ranks as #5 most affordable out of the 260 places we measured in New Jersey. By definition, that implies Trenton ranks as the #255 most expensive place in the Garden State.

For more reading on life in Trenton, check out:

5 out of 260
In New Jersey
2,104 out of 6,489
In America

Trenton Cost Of Living Vs. New Jersey

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Trenton. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Trenton is 110.

  • The Groceries index in Trenton is 101.

  • The Health index in Trenton is 103.

  • The Housing index in Trenton is 73.

  • The Transportation index in Trenton is 105.

  • The Utilities index in Trenton is 106.

Living Expense Trenton New Jersey National Average
Overall 96 122 100
Services 110 108 100
Groceries 101 104 100
Health 103 99 100
Housing 73 159 100
Transportation 105 101 100
Utilities 106 107 100
For more reading on cost of living around New Jersey, check out:
Trenton Cost of Living Vs. NJ

Trenton, NJ Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in New Jersey, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Trenton is $347,883.

  • The Median Rent in Trenton is $1,224.

  • The Median Income in Trenton is $47,102.

  • The Home Value To Income in Trenton is 7.4x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Trenton is 0.31x.

Statistic Trenton New Jersey United States
Median Home Value $347,883 $564,432 $303,400
Median Rent $1,224 $1,653 $1,348
Median Income $47,102 $101,050 $78,538
Home Value To Income 7.4x 5.6x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.31x 0.2x 0.21x
$347,883
Median Home Value
$1,224
Median Rent
$47,102
Median Income

Trenton, NJ Costs By Category

Detailed Trenton Services Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Trenton New Jersey
Shampoo $1.53 $1.28
Movie $14.53 $12.13
Bowling $20.98 $18
Haircut $30.25 $24.26
Beauty Salon $53.0 $45.56

Detailed Trenton Groceries Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Trenton New Jersey
Ground Beef $6.13 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.41 $1.57
Milk $4.7 $4.67
Potatoes $5.32 $4.93
Pizza $12.59 $12.09
Beer $11.12 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Trenton Health Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Trenton New Jersey
Optometrist $129.93 $125.68
Doctor $124.1 $135.78
Dentist $129.94 $113.29

Detailed Trenton Transportation Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Trenton New Jersey
Gasoline $3.41 $3.46
Tire Balancing $72.38 $59.92

Detailed Trenton Utilities Costs Vs. New Jersey

Item Trenton New Jersey
All Electricity $223.08 $193.99
Phone $186.61 $192.25

Trenton SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
7
Affordability
6
Diversity
9.5
Safety
4
Amenities
10
Education
4
Commute
7

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Trenton

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Trenton. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Levittown, PA has a cost of living index of 112, 1.2x Trenton.

  • Willow Grove, PA has a cost of living index of 116, 1.2x Trenton.

  • Mercerville, NJ has a cost of living index of 118, 1.2x Trenton.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Trenton
Levittown, PA 50,930 112 1.2x
Willow Grove, PA 13,919 116 1.2x
Mercerville, NJ 13,693 118 1.2x
Hamilton Square, NJ 11,643 125 1.3x
Kendall Park, NJ 10,765 142 1.5x
White Horse, NJ 10,040 115 1.2x
Fairless Hills, PA 8,985 110 1.1x
Twin Rivers, NJ 8,315 118 1.2x
Hatboro, PA 8,219 115 1.2x
Fort Dix, NJ 8,034 140 1.5x

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