City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 10.0% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $110,000 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, 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.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $108,810 in either. A transfer from Charlotte, NC to Hickory, NC changes real buying power by +10.0%, purely from prices.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (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
| Charlotte, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,897 in Hickory | $110,015 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/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 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Hickory, NC | Real change, Charlotte → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $63,098 | +10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $76,343 | +10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $91,503 | +10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $108,810 | +10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $128,581 | +10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $49,540 | $54,502 (−7.1%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $122,540 | $134,813 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $77,490 | $85,251 (−8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $80,060 | $88,078 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.