City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Kingsport, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hickory, NC are 2.4% higher than in Kingsport, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Kingsport, TN would need about $102,400 in Hickory, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $818 in Kingsport, TN. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 12% in Kingsport, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Kingsport, TN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Kingsport, TN ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.1% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Kingsport, TN: price level 86.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Kingsport, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 86.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,696 in Kingsport | $102,359 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $45,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Kingsport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 56.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 75.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.8 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 86.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Kingsport, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
76 Strong offer
Kingsport, TN → Hickory, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Kingsport, TN is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Kingsport, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Kingsport, TN | Real change, Hickory → Kingsport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Kingsport, TN | Kingsport pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $58,130 | $59,501 (+20.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $115,310 | $118,030 (−3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $75,940 | $77,731 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $76,730 | $78,540 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.