City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 4.6% higher than in Springfield, MA. Someone earning $100,000 in Springfield, MA would need about $104,600 in Norwich, CT to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $1,382 in Springfield, MA. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 22% in Springfield, MA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Norwich, CT.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $120,094 in either. A transfer from Norwich, CT to Springfield, MA changes real buying power by +4.6%, purely from prices.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,635 in Springfield | $104,564 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Springfield, MA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.6%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
83 Strong offer
Springfield, MA → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Springfield, MA | Real change, Norwich → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,642 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,260 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $100,992 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,094 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $141,915 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $79,640 | $83,275 (−0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $127,740 | $133,570 (+7.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $92,010 | $96,209 (+16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $98,410 | $102,901 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.