City comparison
Denver, CO vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 5.3% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $105,300 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,496 in Norwich, CT. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 24% in Norwich, CT.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Denver, CO to Norwich, CT ($118,675 → $120,094), while prices change by −5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.6% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,955 in Norwich | $105,313 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Norwich, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$233/yr.
85 Strong offer
Norwich, CT → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax −$233/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Norwich, CT | Real change, Denver → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $69,642 | +6.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $84,260 | +6.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $100,992 | +6.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $120,094 | +6.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $141,915 | +6.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $83,840 | $88,295 (+14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $123,780 | $130,357 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $82,530 | $86,915 (−13.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $101,330 | $106,714 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.