City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 9.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $109,100 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Asheville, NC to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.5% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- 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
| Asheville, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,690 in Hickory | $109,064 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
97 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
43 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Hickory, NC | Real change, Asheville → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $49,540 | $54,030 (+7.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,540 | $133,647 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $77,490 | $84,513 (+5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $80,060 | $87,316 (+7.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.