City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 4.7% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $104,700 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $1,496 in Norwich, CT. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 24% in Norwich, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Boulder, CO to Norwich, CT ($118,675 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Boulder, CO | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,478 in Norwich | $104,736 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Norwich, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
84 Strong offer
Norwich, CT → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Norwich, CT | Real change, Boulder → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,642 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,260 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,992 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,094 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,915 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $83,840 | $87,811 (+8.9%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $123,780 | $129,642 (−21.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $82,530 | $86,439 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $101,330 | $106,129 (+2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.