City comparison
Chattanooga, TN vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Chattanooga, TN are 3.4% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $103,400 in Chattanooga, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,263 a month in Chattanooga, TN versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Chattanooga, TN and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Chattanooga, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Chattanooga, TN to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −3.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Chattanooga, TN: price level 91.5 (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
| Chattanooga, TN | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.5 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,744 in Hickory | $103,366 in Chattanooga |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,263/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,700 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Chattanooga, TN-GA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Chattanooga | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.5 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.5 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Chattanooga, TN → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
79 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Chattanooga, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Chattanooga, TN 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 Chattanooga, TN to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Chattanooga, TN | Hickory, NC | Real change, Chattanooga → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Chattanooga, TN | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Chattanooga dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,830 | $49,540 | $51,207 (−14.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,750 | $122,540 | $126,664 (+18.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,680 | $77,490 | $80,098 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,770 | $80,060 | $82,754 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.