City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 8.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $108,100 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $561 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.3% moving from Hickory, NC to Indianapolis, IN ($108,810 → $107,428), while prices change by +8.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.7% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,148 in Indianapolis | $92,466 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$561/yr.
45 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$561/yr.
94 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Hickory → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,297 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,374 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,341 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,428 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,947 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $60,510 | $55,951 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $106,870 | $98,818 (−19.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $79,290 | $73,316 (−5.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $84,230 | $77,884 (−2.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.