City comparison
Lincoln, NE vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 9.7% higher than in Lincoln, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Lincoln, NE would need about $109,700 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 $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $255 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Lincoln, NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Lincoln, NE to Norwich, CT ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.9% in real buying power.
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (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
| Lincoln, NE | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,679 in Norwich | $91,175 in Lincoln |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $926/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,510 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,670 (NE) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,800 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Lincoln, NE and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Lincoln | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.2 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 94.1 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 76.8 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 93.0 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Lincoln, NE → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$255/yr.
41 Weak offer
Norwich, CT → Lincoln, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$255/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Lincoln, NE 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 Lincoln, NE to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Lincoln, NE | Norwich, CT | Real change, Lincoln → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Lincoln, NE | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Lincoln dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,940 | $83,840 | $76,441 (+23.4%) |
| Software Developers | $101,690 | $123,780 | $112,857 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,170 | $82,530 | $75,247 (+15.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,530 | $101,330 | $92,388 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.