City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 12.8% higher than in Jackson, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Jackson, MS would need about $112,800 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 $1,097 in Jackson, MS. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 17% in Jackson, MS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $657 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Jackson, MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Jackson, MS to Norwich, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +12.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,799 in Norwich | $88,653 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$657/yr.
38 Weak offer
Norwich, CT → Jackson, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$657/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Jackson, MS 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 Jackson, MS to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Norwich, CT | Real change, Jackson → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $83,840 | $74,327 (+47.9%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $123,780 | $109,735 (+13.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $82,530 | $73,166 (+3.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $101,330 | $89,833 (+8.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.