City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, NC are 3.9% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $103,900 in Fayetteville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, NC to Hickory, NC ($111,147 → $108,810), while prices change by −3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much 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
| Fayetteville, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,203 in Hickory | $103,946 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/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 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
81 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, 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 Fayetteville, NC to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Hickory, NC | Real change, Fayetteville → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $63,098 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $76,343 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $91,503 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $108,810 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $128,581 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $49,540 | $51,495 (−5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $122,540 | $127,376 (+3.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $77,490 | $80,548 (+2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $80,060 | $83,219 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.