City comparison
Eugene, OR vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 14.8% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $114,800 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,286 a month in Eugene, OR versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Eugene, OR and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Eugene, OR to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −12.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.3% in real buying power.
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
- 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
| Eugene, OR | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.6 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,120 in Hickory | $114,784 in Eugene |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,286/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $71,260 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $7,920 (OR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,680 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Eugene-Springfield, OR and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Eugene | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.3 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 105.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 102.5 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 101.6 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Eugene, OR → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Eugene, OR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Eugene, OR to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Eugene, OR | Hickory, NC | Real change, Eugene → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +17.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +17.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +17.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +17.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +17.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Eugene, OR | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Eugene dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,260 | $49,540 | $56,864 (−11.5%) |
| Software Developers | $121,050 | $122,540 | $140,657 (+16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,930 | $77,490 | $88,946 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $113,720 | $80,060 | $91,896 (−19.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.