City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Norwich, CT are 2.6% higher than in Richmond, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Richmond, VA would need about $102,600 in Norwich, CT to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,496 a month in Norwich, CT and $1,507 in Richmond, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,011 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Norwich, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −7.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Richmond, VA ($120,094 → $111,183), while prices change by −2.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,424 in Richmond | $102,644 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Richmond, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,011/yr.
77 Strong offer
Richmond, VA → Norwich, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$1,011/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Richmond, VA | Real change, Norwich → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $64,475 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $78,009 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $93,499 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $111,183 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $131,385 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $61,290 | $62,910 (−25.0%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $132,120 | $135,613 (+9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $84,220 | $86,446 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $93,580 | $96,054 (−5.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.