City comparison
Cleveland, OH vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cleveland, OH are 6.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $106,100 in Cleveland, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,058 a month in Cleveland, OH versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Cleveland, OH to Hickory, NC ($111,138 → $108,810), while prices change by −5.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Cleveland, OH: price level 93.9 (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
| Cleveland, OH | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.9 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,211 in Hickory | $106,144 in Cleveland |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,058/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 | $50,140 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Cleveland, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Cleveland, OH and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cleveland | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.4 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.9 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cleveland, OH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
88 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Cleveland, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cleveland, 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 Cleveland, OH to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cleveland, OH | Hickory, NC | Real change, Cleveland → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $63,098 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $76,343 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $91,503 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $108,810 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $128,581 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cleveland, OH | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Cleveland dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,470 | $49,540 | $52,584 (−31.2%) |
| Software Developers | $111,310 | $122,540 | $130,069 (+16.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,000 | $77,490 | $82,251 (+2.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,940 | $80,060 | $84,979 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.