City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 7.9% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $107,900 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, 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 Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Columbus, OH to Hickory, NC ($111,065 → $108,810), while prices change by −7.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,686 in Hickory | $107,892 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/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 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
93 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Hickory, NC | Real change, Columbus → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $63,098 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $76,343 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $91,503 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $108,810 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $128,581 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $49,540 | $53,450 (−31.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,540 | $132,210 (+8.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,490 | $83,605 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $80,060 | $86,378 (+3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.