City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 7.8% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $107,800 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,051 a month in Cincinnati, OH versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cincinnati, OH and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.9% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Hickory, NC ($110,865 → $108,810), while prices change by −7.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.8% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,782 in Hickory | $107,780 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/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 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
93 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Hickory, NC | Real change, Cincinnati → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $63,098 | +5.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $76,343 | +5.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $91,503 | +5.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $108,810 | +5.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $128,581 | +5.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $49,540 | $53,394 (−17.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $122,540 | $132,073 (+8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $77,490 | $83,519 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $80,060 | $86,288 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.