City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Ann Arbor, MI (100.9) and Norwich, CT (100.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Ann Arbor, MI goes as far as $99,600 in Norwich, CT.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $1,387 in Ann Arbor, MI. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 22% in Ann Arbor, MI.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,999 a year in MI and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Norwich, CT ($117,402 → $120,094), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.7% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (about average)
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Ann Arbor, MI | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,569 in Norwich | $100,433 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Norwich, CT
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$74/yr.
70 Strong offer
Norwich, CT → Ann Arbor, MI
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$74/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Norwich, CT | Real change, Ann Arbor → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $69,642 | +2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $84,260 | +2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $100,992 | +2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $120,094 | +2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $141,915 | +2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $83,840 | $84,203 (+31.4%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $123,780 | $124,316 (−2.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $82,530 | $82,887 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $101,330 | $101,769 (−1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.