City comparison

Minneapolis, MN vs Norwich, CT

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

  • Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 4.4% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $104,400 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
  • Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT versus $1,405 in Minneapolis, MN. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Norwich, CT and 23% in Minneapolis, MN.
  • On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,352 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Norwich, CT.
  • For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.5% moving from Minneapolis, MN to Norwich, CT ($116,038 → $120,094), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
MinneapolisNorwich
Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108
  • Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (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

Minneapolis, MNNorwich, CT
Price level (U.S. = 100)2104.8100.4
$100,000 is worth, in the other city2$95,824 in Norwich$104,358 in Minneapolis
Typical 1-bedroom rent3$1,405/mo$1,496/mo
Take-home on $100,00014,15,8$73,903$75,255
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8$5,277 (MN)$3,925 (CT)
Rent burden on $100,00023%24%
Median pay, all jobs4$59,320$57,370
Federal locality pay area7Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WIHartford-East Hartford, CT-MA

Rent areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA. Metro areas: Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI and Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT.

What costs more or less

Minneapolis, MNNorwich, CT
Price level (U.S. = 100)MinneapolisNorwich
Housing (rent)111.893.7
Goods103.197.3
Utilities93.5148.6
Other services104.4102.7
Overall104.8100.4
BEA Regional Price Parities2. Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Minneapolis, MN → Norwich, CT

Same pay goes further

Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,352/yr.

82 Strong offer

Norwich, CT → Minneapolis, MN

Same pay buys less

Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,352/yr.

56 Fair offer

On the GS pay scale?

Minneapolis, MN is in the Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI pay area; Norwich, CT is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Minneapolis, MN to Norwich, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade5,2Minneapolis, MNNorwich, CTReal change, Minneapolis → Norwich
GS-9 step 1$67,290$69,642+8.0%
GS-11 step 1$81,415$84,260+8.0%
GS-12 step 1$97,582$100,992+8.0%
GS-13 step 1$116,038$120,094+8.0%
GS-14 step 1$137,123$141,915+8.0%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay4Minneapolis, MNNorwich, CTNorwich pay in Minneapolis dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education$79,730$83,840$87,493 (+9.7%)
Software Developers$130,920$123,780$129,174 (−1.3%)
Accountants and Auditors$86,500$82,530$86,126 (−0.4%)
Registered Nurses$103,040$101,330$105,746 (+2.6%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Check your own offer

Loading calculator…

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.

Notes & Sources

  1. U.S. Census Bureau, Metropolitan Statistical Area population estimates (Vintage 2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  2. U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by MSA (MARPP), all items (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  3. U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents, 1-bedroom (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  4. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, metropolitan areas (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  5. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, General Schedule (GS) pay rates with locality pay, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  6. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Locality codes used in the 2026 GS pay spreadsheet (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  7. U.S. Office of Personnel Management, 2026 Locality Pay Area Definitions (counties in each pay area) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  8. Tax Foundation, State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets, 2026 (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary file: states, 1:20,000,000 (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  10. U.S. Census Bureau, Gazetteer file: core based statistical areas (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  11. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, table C24010 (occupation of employed residents) by ZIP code area (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  12. U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Tabulation Area relationship files (2020; Connecticut 2022) and Gazetteer locations (2025) (2025). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  13. U.S. Census Bureau, Cartographic boundary files (ZIP code areas 2020; counties and states 2024) and TIGER/Line primary roads (2024) (2024). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  14. Internal Revenue Service, Rev. Proc. 2025-32 (2026 tax brackets and standard deduction) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  15. Internal Revenue Service, Publication 15 (Circular E), Employer's Tax Guide for 2026 (Social Security and Medicare) (2026). Retrieved 2026-09-29.
  16. U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, O*NET 31.0 Database: Job Titles (used under CC BY 4.0; O*NET is a trademark of USDOL/ETA) (2026). Retrieved 2026-10-14.