Median rent is 22% lower in Reno ($1,556/mo vs $2,007/mo). Buying is cheaper in Reno, where the median home runs $548,300 versus $566,900. Households earn more in Jersey City ($97,710 vs $80,760 a year).
City A
Jersey City, NJ
City B
Reno, NV
How much would you need to earn in Reno, NV to maintain your standard of living from Jersey City, NJ?
A cost-of-living index isn't available for one of these cities yet, so we can't compute an equivalent salary.
Based on BEA Regional Price Parity (cost index) for each metro area. This estimates overall purchasing power; it does not account for taxes or take-home pay differences.
Metric
Jersey City
New Jersey
Reno
Nevada
Population
Median Household Income
Annual
Median Gross Rent
Per month
Median Home Value
Cost of Living Index
US avg = 100
1BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
2BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
3BR Fair Market Rent
HUD FMR
Air Quality Index
Lower = cleaner
Top State Income Tax
Top marginal rate
State Sales Tax
Statewide base rate
Median Age
Years
✓ = better value · Sources: Census ACS, BEA, HUD Fair Market Rents, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation
Renters will find significantly cheaper housing in Reno — median rent of $1,556/mo versus $2,007/mo in Jersey City, a 22% difference. Median home values are within 3% of each other: $566,900 in Jersey City and $548,300 in Reno.
1BR Fair Market Rent
2BR Fair Market Rent
BLS OEWS 2023 — metro-level data
State tax data is not yet available for these cities.
Jersey City
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Reno
Income tax: N/A
Sales tax: N/A
Jersey City has cleaner air on average: 46.0 AQI (Good) compared to 54.0 AQI (Moderate) in the other city. Lower AQI means cleaner, healthier air.
Pick Jersey City if you prioritize higher median household income ($97,710/yr).
Pick Reno if you prioritize cheaper rent ($1,556/mo median).
Pick Jersey City if you prioritize cleaner air quality (avg AQI 46.0).
Is Jersey City cheaper than Reno?
Cost of living index data is not yet available for one or both cities.
How much is rent in Jersey City vs Reno?
Median rent is $2,007/mo in Jersey City, NJ and $1,556/mo in Reno, NV. Reno, NV has the lower rent by about 22%.
Which has higher salaries — Jersey City or Reno?
Median household income is $97,710 in Jersey City, NJ and $80,760 in Reno, NV. Jersey City, NJ has the higher median income. Note that BLS occupational wages in the table above show wages for specific jobs.
Which city has better air quality?
Jersey City, NJ has better air quality on average: 46.0 AQI versus 54.0 AQI. Both are EPA AirNow annual averages; lower is better.
Which has lower taxes — Jersey City or Reno?
State tax data is not yet available for one or both cities.
What salary do I need in Reno to match my Jersey City income?
RPP data needed for salary equivalence calculation is not yet available.
Data last updated: December 1, 2026 · Sources: US Census ACS, BEA RPP, BLS OEWS, HUD FMR, EPA AirNow, Tax Foundation · Methodology
