City comparison
Hartford, CT vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hartford, CT are 16.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $116,100 in Hartford, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,477 a month in Hartford, CT versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Hartford, CT and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Hartford, CT than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.4% moving from Hartford, CT to Hickory, NC ($120,094 → $108,810), while prices change by −13.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Hartford, CT: price level 102.7 (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
| Hartford, CT | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.7 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,121 in Hickory | $116,116 in Hartford |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,477/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $59,940 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hartford | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 110.2 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 144.9 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 102.7 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hartford, CT → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Hartford, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hartford, CT is in the Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Hartford, CT to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hartford, CT | Hickory, NC | Real change, Hartford → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,642 | $63,098 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,260 | $76,343 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $100,992 | $91,503 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,094 | $108,810 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $141,915 | $128,581 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hartford, CT | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Hartford dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,800 | $49,540 | $57,524 (−27.9%) |
| Software Developers | $132,520 | $122,540 | $142,288 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $95,940 | $77,490 | $89,978 (−6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,470 | $80,060 | $92,962 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.