City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 1.4% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $101,400 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $1,496 in Norwich, CT. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 24% in Norwich, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,729 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Norwich, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Portland, ME ($120,094 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.0% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,407 in Portland | $98,613 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Portland, ME
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,729/yr.
61 Fair offer
Portland, ME → Norwich, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,729/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Portland, ME | Real change, Norwich → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,905 | −1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,579 | −1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $101,375 | −1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,548 | −1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $142,452 | −1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $76,770 | $75,705 (−9.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $128,710 | $126,925 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $79,790 | $78,683 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $88,470 | $87,243 (−13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.