City comparison
Austin, TX vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 2.4% higher than in Austin, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Austin, TX would need about $102,400 in Norwich, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,562 a month in Austin, TX and $1,496 in Norwich, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.7% moving from Austin, TX to Norwich, CT ($109,428 → $120,094), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.1% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (about average)
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Austin, TX | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,426 in Norwich | $97,632 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
61 Fair offer
Norwich, CT → Austin, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Norwich, CT | Real change, Austin → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $69,642 | +7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $84,260 | +7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $100,992 | +7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $120,094 | +7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $141,915 | +7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $83,840 | $81,854 (+33.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $123,780 | $120,848 (−9.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $82,530 | $80,575 (−3.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $101,330 | $98,930 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.