Norwich, CT vs Amherst-Northampton, MA: cost of living compared

Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).

The short answer

Overall, living costs in Amherst-Northampton, MA and Norwich, CT are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Norwich works out to about $74,800 in Amherst-Northampton, before taxes.
Housing is 4.1% higher in Amherst-Northampton, goods 0.3% lower and other services 1.4% lower, which roughly cancel out.
Zillow does not publish typical rent for Amherst-Northampton, so rents are not compared here.
The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Amherst-Northampton was 3.9% less expensive than Norwich.

derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.

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Share of your spending that goes on housing: 18% 18% matches BEA's average basket. Set your own share if housing takes more or less of your budget.

Category by category

Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.

Overall prices are about the same in Norwich and Amherst-Northampton

Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.

Norwich, CT
Amherst-Northampton, MA

All items

100.4 100.2

Goods

97.3 97.0

Housing (rents)

93.7 97.5

Utilities

148.6 155.7

Other services

102.7 101.2

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Norwich, CT	Amherst-Northampton, MA
All items	100.4	100.2
Goods	97.3	97.0
Housing (rents)	93.7	97.5
Utilities	148.6	155.7
Other services	102.7	101.2

Category	Norwich	Amherst-Northampton	Amherst-Northampton vs Norwich
All items	100.4	100.2	−0.2%
Goods	97.3	97.0	−0.3%
Housing (rents)	93.7	97.5	+4.1%
Utilities	148.6	155.7	+4.8%
Other services	102.7	101.2	−1.4%
Salary to match $75,000 in Norwich	$75,000	$74,800	−0.2%

Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.

How the gap has changed since 2008

The price gap between Norwich and Amherst-Northampton has narrowed since 2008: 4.0 points then, 0.2 now

Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.

Norwich, CT
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US average = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Norwich, CT	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	103.7	99.7
2009	104.2	103.7
2010	101.5	96.7
2011	101.6	100.1
2012	101.7	99.3
2013	102.1	100.0
2014	98.0	99.3
2015	101.9	103.1
2016	102.6	99.7
2017	102.3	102.3
2018	101.7	100.8
2019	102.7	98.7
2020	102.1	101.8
2021	100.0	99.0
2022	103.6	101.1
2023	100.7	102.8
2024	100.4	100.2

Goods

Norwich, CT
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Norwich, CT	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	100.6	99.8
2009	100.9	101.1
2010	97.9	98.0
2011	97.8	97.9
2012	97.1	97.4
2013	97.0	97.3
2014	97.0	97.6
2015	98.7	98.8
2016	98.2	98.3
2017	99.1	99.5
2018	101.4	100.8
2019	98.7	97.9
2020	99.0	98.8
2021	97.0	96.9
2022	101.1	100.8
2023	98.6	98.8
2024	97.3	97.0

Housing (rents)

Norwich, CT
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Norwich, CT	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	113.9	88.5
2009	118.1	112.8
2010	111.4	80.6
2011	114.1	104.9
2012	117.0	99.6
2013	113.9	96.0
2014	95.2	102.4
2015	107.4	116.0
2016	112.2	90.0
2017	103.7	101.8
2018	102.7	101.0
2019	107.5	88.2
2020	101.7	103.0
2021	98.6	94.9
2022	100.1	83.8
2023	91.8	107.0
2024	93.7	97.5

Utilities

Norwich, CT
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Norwich, CT	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	156.3	140.6
2009	160.3	138.9
2010	147.8	121.0
2011	138.9	120.7
2012	132.9	118.0
2013	131.6	121.9
2014	136.5	126.3
2015	139.8	132.4
2016	140.7	131.0
2017	143.1	138.0
2018	143.9	146.4
2019	145.9	145.0
2020	163.1	156.5
2021	147.9	150.5
2022	141.6	142.9
2023	156.5	156.9
2024	148.6	155.7

Other services

Norwich, CT
Amherst-Northampton, MA

US = 100

Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).

Show the numbers

	Norwich, CT	Amherst-Northampton, MA
2008	101.1	101.3
2009	100.8	101.4
2010	99.5	99.8
2011	99.4	99.4
2012	99.4	99.8
2013	101.1	101.9
2014	98.2	98.7
2015	100.8	101.4
2016	101.6	102.1
2017	102.7	102.9
2018	100.2	99.5
2019	102.3	100.9
2020	102.4	101.6
2021	100.8	99.9
2022	104.9	105.6
2023	103.0	102.1
2024	102.7	101.2

More about each city

What this comparison leaves out

Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.