City comparison
Manchester, NH vs Norwich, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 5.2% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $105,200 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH and $1,496 in Norwich, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,925 a year higher in Norwich, CT than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.4% moving from Manchester, NH to Norwich, CT ($120,548 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.8% in real buying power.
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (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
| Manchester, NH | Norwich, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.7 | 100.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,067 in Norwich | $105,189 in Manchester |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,552/mo | $1,496/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (NH) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,530 | $57,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Manchester-Nashua, NH and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Manchester | Norwich |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 134.2 | 93.7 |
| Goods | 97.7 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 133.5 | 148.6 |
| Other services | 103.7 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 105.7 | 100.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Manchester, NH → Norwich, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$3,925/yr.
85 Strong offer
Norwich, CT → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,925/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Manchester, NH is in the Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Manchester, NH to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Manchester, NH | Norwich, CT | Real change, Manchester → Norwich |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,905 | $69,642 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,579 | $84,260 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,375 | $100,992 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,548 | $120,094 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,452 | $141,915 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Manchester, NH | Norwich, CT | Norwich pay in Manchester dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $73,380 | $83,840 | $88,190 (+20.2%) |
| Software Developers | $162,090 | $123,780 | $130,203 (−19.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,660 | $82,530 | $86,812 (+3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $98,600 | $101,330 | $106,588 (+8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.