City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Jackson, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hickory, NC (88.5) and Jackson, MS (89.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hickory, NC goes as far as $100,600 in Jackson, MS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,268 in MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Jackson, MS ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Jackson, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 89.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,635 in Jackson | $99,369 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,097/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $42,850 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Jackson, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Jackson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 64.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 78.1 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 89.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Jackson, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
67 Fair offer
Jackson, MS → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Jackson, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Jackson, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Jackson, MS | Real change, Hickory → Jackson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Jackson, MS | Jackson pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $50,240 | $49,923 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $96,990 | $96,378 (−21.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $70,720 | $70,274 (−9.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $82,630 | $82,109 (+2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.