City comparison
Green Bay, WI vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Green Bay, WI are 5.2% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $105,200 in Green Bay, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $931 a month in Green Bay, WI and $908 in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Green Bay, WI than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Green Bay, WI to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −4.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.5% in real buying power.
- Green Bay, WI: price level 93.1 (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
| Green Bay, WI | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.1 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,058 in Hickory | $105,199 in Green Bay |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $931/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,261 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,919 (WI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,940 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Green Bay, WI HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Green Bay, WI and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Green Bay | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.7 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 90.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.1 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Green Bay, WI → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
85 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Green Bay, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Green Bay, WI 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 Green Bay, WI to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Green Bay, WI | Hickory, NC | Real change, Green Bay → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +7.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +7.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +7.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +7.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +7.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Green Bay, WI | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Green Bay dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,600 | $49,540 | $52,115 (−14.0%) |
| Software Developers | $103,160 | $122,540 | $128,910 (+25.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,720 | $77,490 | $81,518 (+4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,700 | $80,060 | $84,222 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.