City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 9.0% higher than in Rockford, IL. Someone earning $100,000 in Rockford, IL would need about $109,000 in Norwich, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $895 in Rockford, IL. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 14% in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $880 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Norwich, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from Norwich, CT to Rockford, IL ($120,094 → $118,984), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,746 in Rockford | $108,997 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Rockford, IL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$880/yr.
97 Strong offer
Rockford, IL → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$880/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Rockford, IL | Real change, Norwich → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $68,999 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $83,482 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $100,059 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $118,984 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $140,604 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $64,200 | $69,976 (−16.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $107,640 | $117,324 (−5.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $75,260 | $82,031 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $80,930 | $88,211 (−12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.