City comparison
Canton, OH vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Canton, OH are 1.0% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $101,000 in Canton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $846 in Canton, OH. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 13% in Canton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Canton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Canton, OH to Hickory, NC ($111,138 → $108,810), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.1% in real buying power.
- Canton, OH: price level 89.4 (much 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
| Canton, OH | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,971 in Hickory | $101,040 in Canton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $846/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 13% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,810 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Canton-Massillon, OH MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Canton-Massillon, OH and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Canton | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 58.1 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.9 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Canton, OH → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
72 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Canton, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Canton, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Canton, OH to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Canton, OH | Hickory, NC | Real change, Canton → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $63,098 | −1.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $76,343 | −1.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $91,503 | −1.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $108,810 | −1.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $128,581 | −1.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Canton, OH | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Canton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,940 | $49,540 | $50,055 (−35.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,500 | $122,540 | $123,814 (+17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,170 | $77,490 | $78,296 (+8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,610 | $80,060 | $80,892 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.