City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Norwich, CT (100.4) and Tampa, FL (100.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Norwich, CT goes as far as $100,400 in Tampa, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $1,496 in Norwich, CT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL and 24% in Norwich, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Tampa, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Tampa, FL ($120,094 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.8% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,443 in Tampa | $99,559 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $48,940 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Tampa, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
66 Fair offer
Tampa, FL → Norwich, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Tampa, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Tampa, FL | Real change, Norwich → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $61,722 | −11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $74,678 | −11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $89,508 | −11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $106,437 | −11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $125,776 | −11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $60,120 | $59,855 (−28.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $130,450 | $129,875 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $78,990 | $78,642 (−4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $85,470 | $85,093 (−16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.