City comparison
Durham, NC vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 10.3% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $110,300 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Durham, NC to Hickory, NC ($111,147 → $108,810), while prices change by −9.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.9% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,688 in Hickory | $110,268 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
40 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Hickory, NC | Real change, Durham → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $63,098 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $76,343 | +7.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $91,503 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $108,810 | +7.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $128,581 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $49,540 | $54,627 (+6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $122,540 | $135,123 (−0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $77,490 | $85,447 (+0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $80,060 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.