City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 2.3% higher than in Raleigh, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Raleigh, NC would need about $102,300 in Norwich, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,496 in Norwich, CT. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 24% in Norwich, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Raleigh, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Raleigh, NC ($120,094 → $111,147), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.3% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,722 in Raleigh | $102,331 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Raleigh, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
76 Strong offer
Raleigh, NC → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Norwich → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $64,453 | −5.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $77,983 | −5.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $93,468 | −5.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $111,147 | −5.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $131,342 | −5.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $60,170 | $61,573 (−26.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $132,770 | $135,865 (+9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $81,950 | $83,860 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $84,830 | $86,807 (−14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.