City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Trenton, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Trenton, NJ are 2.7% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $102,700 in Trenton, NJ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT and $1,545 in Trenton, NJ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Trenton, NJ than in Norwich, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Trenton, NJ ($120,094 → $125,431), while prices change by +2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Trenton, NJ: price level 103.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Trenton, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 103.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,723 in Trenton | $97,349 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,545/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $63,490 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Trenton-Princeton, NJ MSA. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Trenton-Princeton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Trenton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 135.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 112.3 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 103.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Trenton, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
60 Fair offer
Trenton, NJ → Norwich, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
77 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Trenton, NJ is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Trenton, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Trenton, NJ | Real change, Norwich → Trenton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $72,737 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $88,005 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $105,481 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $125,431 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $148,222 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Trenton, NJ | Trenton pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $77,850 | $75,786 (−9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $128,770 | $125,357 (+1.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $99,550 | $96,911 (+17.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $99,990 | $97,340 (−3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.