City comparison
Norwich, CT vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 2.1% higher than in Norwich, CT. Someone earning $100,000 in Norwich, CT would need about $102,100 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,496 in Norwich, CT. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 24% in Norwich, CT.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $855 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Norwich, CT.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Norwich, CT to Worcester, MA ($120,094 → $120,548), while prices change by +2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.7% in real buying power.
- Norwich, CT: price level 100.4 (about average)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Norwich, CT | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,069 in Worcester | $97,973 in Norwich |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,496/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $57,370 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Norwich | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.7 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 148.6 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 100.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Norwich, CT → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$855/yr.
61 Fair offer
Worcester, MA → Norwich, CT
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$855/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Norwich, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Norwich, CT to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Norwich, CT | Worcester, MA | Real change, Norwich → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $69,905 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $84,579 | −1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $101,375 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $120,548 | −1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $142,452 | −1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Norwich, CT | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Norwich dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $83,840 | $82,810 | $81,132 (−3.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,780 | $146,950 | $143,972 (+16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,530 | $94,070 | $92,163 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,330 | $100,240 | $98,208 (−3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.