City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 19.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $119,100 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Hickory, NC ($120,348 → $108,810), while prices change by −16.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,937 in Hickory | $119,137 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Hickory, NC | Real change, Anchorage → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $63,098 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $76,343 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $91,503 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $108,810 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $128,581 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $49,540 | $59,021 (−25.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $122,540 | $145,991 (+40.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $77,490 | $92,320 (+12.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $80,060 | $95,381 (−17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.