City comparison
Indianapolis, IN vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 5.0% higher than in Indianapolis, IN. Someone earning $100,000 in Indianapolis, IN would need about $105,000 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 $1,267 in Indianapolis, IN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 20% in Indianapolis, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,005 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.8% moving from Indianapolis, IN to Norwich, CT ($107,428 → $120,094), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (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
| Indianapolis, IN | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.7 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,963 in Norwich | $95,272 in Indianapolis |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,267/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,260 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,921 (IN) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,340 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Indianapolis | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 88.9 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 94.3 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 86.4 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 99.1 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 95.7 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Indianapolis, IN → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,005/yr.
54 Fair offer
Norwich, CT → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$1,005/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Indianapolis, IN is in the Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Indianapolis, IN to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Indianapolis, IN | Norwich, CT | Real change, Indianapolis → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,297 | $69,642 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,374 | $84,260 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,341 | $100,992 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,428 | $120,094 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,947 | $141,915 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Indianapolis, IN | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Indianapolis dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,510 | $83,840 | $79,876 (+32.0%) |
| Software Developers | $106,870 | $123,780 | $117,928 (+10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,290 | $82,530 | $78,628 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,230 | $101,330 | $96,539 (+14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.