City comparison
Boulder, CO vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boulder, CO are 18.9% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $118,900 in Boulder, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,795 a month in Boulder, CO versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 29% of take-home pay in Boulder, CO and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −8.3% moving from Boulder, CO to Hickory, NC ($118,675 → $108,810), while prices change by −15.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.0% in real buying power.
- Boulder, CO: price level 105.2 (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
| Boulder, CO | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.2 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,111 in Hickory | $118,891 in Boulder |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,795/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 29% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $69,580 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Boulder, CO MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Boulder, CO and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boulder | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 157.0 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 82.7 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.2 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boulder, CO → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Boulder, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.9%; rent takes 29% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
32 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Boulder, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Boulder, CO to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boulder, CO | Hickory, NC | Real change, Boulder → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $63,098 | +9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $76,343 | +9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $91,503 | +9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $108,810 | +9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $128,581 | +9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boulder, CO | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Boulder dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,640 | $49,540 | $58,899 (−27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $164,560 | $122,540 | $145,689 (−11.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $99,990 | $77,490 | $92,129 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,290 | $80,060 | $95,184 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.