City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 1.3% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $101,300 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $1,402 in Providence, RI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 22% in Providence, RI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $777 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Providence, RI ($120,094 → $120,548), while prices change by +1.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.9% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,322 in Providence | $98,695 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $53,680 |
| 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 Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Providence, RI
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$777/yr.
65 Fair offer
Providence, RI → Norwich, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$777/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Providence, RI | Real change, Norwich → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,905 | −0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,579 | −0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $101,375 | −0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,548 | −0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $142,452 | −0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $86,720 | $85,588 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $130,690 | $128,985 (+4.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $95,020 | $93,780 (+13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $99,880 | $98,577 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.