City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 11.2% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $111,200 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $710 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Boise City, ID to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −10.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +13.7% in real buying power.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- 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
| Boise City, ID | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,933 in Hickory | $111,194 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$710/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.1%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$710/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boise City, ID 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 Boise City, ID to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Hickory, NC | Real change, Boise City → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +13.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +13.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +13.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +13.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +13.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $49,540 | $55,085 (−10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $122,540 | $136,257 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $77,490 | $86,164 (+12.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $80,060 | $89,022 (−9.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.