City comparison
Fresno, CA vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 15.5% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $115,500 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.7% moving from Fresno, CA to Hickory, NC ($106,973 → $108,810), while prices change by −13.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +17.4% in real buying power.
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
- 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
| Fresno, CA | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.2 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,617 in Hickory | $115,451 in Fresno |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,355/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $5,070 (CA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,910 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fresno, CA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fresno | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 95.7 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 105.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 161.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 100.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.2 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fresno, CA → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.4%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fresno, CA is in the Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Fresno, CA to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fresno, CA | Hickory, NC | Real change, Fresno → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,033 | $63,098 | +17.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,055 | $76,343 | +17.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,959 | $91,503 | +17.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,973 | $108,810 | +17.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,410 | $128,581 | +17.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fresno, CA | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Fresno dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,800 | $49,540 | $57,194 (−27.4%) |
| Software Developers | $129,060 | $122,540 | $141,474 (+9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,690 | $77,490 | $89,463 (+13.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $125,420 | $80,060 | $92,430 (−26.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.