City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Clarksville, TN are 2.8% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $102,800 in Clarksville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, 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 Clarksville, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Clarksville, TN to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −2.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.1% in real buying power.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (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
| Clarksville, TN | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,294 in Hickory | $102,781 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/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 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
77 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Clarksville, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Clarksville, 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 Clarksville, TN to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Hickory, NC | Real change, Clarksville → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $49,540 | $50,918 (−14.8%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $122,540 | $125,948 (+30.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $77,490 | $79,645 (+9.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $80,060 | $82,287 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.