City comparison
Greensboro, NC vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greensboro, NC are 4.9% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $104,900 in Greensboro, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, 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 +2.2% moving from Greensboro, NC to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (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
| Greensboro, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.9 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,285 in Hickory | $104,949 in Greensboro |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,213/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 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,570 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Greensboro-High Point, NC and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greensboro | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.5 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.1 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.9 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greensboro, NC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
84 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Greensboro, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Greensboro, NC 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 Greensboro, NC to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greensboro, NC | Hickory, NC | Real change, Greensboro → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greensboro, NC | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Greensboro dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,730 | $49,540 | $51,992 (−13.0%) |
| Software Developers | $125,190 | $122,540 | $128,604 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,170 | $77,490 | $81,325 (+1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $80,060 | $84,022 (+1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.