City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 4.8% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $104,800 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Dayton, 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 Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.4% moving from Dayton, OH to Hickory, NC ($110,401 → $108,810), while prices change by −4.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.2% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: 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
| Dayton, OH | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,460 in Hickory | $104,756 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | $49,980 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
84 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Hickory, NC | Real change, Dayton → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $63,098 | +3.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $76,343 | +3.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $91,503 | +3.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $108,810 | +3.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $128,581 | +3.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $49,540 | $51,896 (−35.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $122,540 | $128,367 (+20.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $77,490 | $81,175 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $80,060 | $83,867 (+1.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.