City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 5.3% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $105,300 in Norwich, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,957 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.3% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Norwich, CT ($110,865 → $120,094), while prices change by +5.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
- 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
| Cincinnati, OH | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,321 in Norwich | $94,947 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,957/yr.
53 Fair offer
Norwich, CT → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,957/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Norwich, CT | Real change, Cincinnati → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $69,642 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $84,260 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $100,992 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $120,094 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $141,915 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $83,840 | $79,604 (+23.0%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $123,780 | $117,526 (−3.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $82,530 | $78,360 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $101,330 | $96,210 (+15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.