City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 3.2% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $103,200 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $1,201 in Salem, OR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 20% in Salem, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,995 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Norwich, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.5% moving from Norwich, CT to Salem, OR ($120,094 → $114,684), while prices change by +3.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.5% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,190 in Salem | $96,909 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$3,995/yr.
59 Fair offer
Salem, OR → Norwich, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,995/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Salem, OR | Real change, Norwich → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $66,505 | −7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $80,465 | −7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $96,443 | −7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $114,684 | −7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $135,522 | −7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $74,810 | $72,497 (−13.5%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $131,620 | $127,551 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $87,480 | $84,776 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $131,750 | $127,677 (+26.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.