City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 10.0% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $110,000 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 $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,925 in CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Norwich, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +10.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.6% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much 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
| Fayetteville, AR | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,953 in Norwich | $90,948 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
40 Weak offer
Norwich, CT → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Norwich, CT | Real change, Fayetteville → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +2.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +2.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +2.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +2.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +2.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $83,840 | $76,251 (+25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $123,780 | $112,576 (+7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $82,530 | $75,060 (−2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $101,330 | $92,158 (+18.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.