City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Corpus Christi, TX are 4.7% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $104,700 in Corpus Christi, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Corpus Christi, TX and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.7% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Hickory, NC ($106,955 → $108,810), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.5% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,484 in Hickory | $104,730 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
84 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Corpus Christi, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Hickory, NC | Real change, Corpus Christi → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $63,098 | +6.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $76,343 | +6.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $91,503 | +6.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $108,810 | +6.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $128,581 | +6.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $49,540 | $51,883 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $122,540 | $128,336 (+3.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $77,490 | $81,155 (+7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $80,060 | $83,846 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.