City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Lansing, MI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lansing, MI are 7.4% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $107,400 in Lansing, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,012 a month in Lansing, MI versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Lansing, MI and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Lansing, MI than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.9% moving from Hickory, NC to Lansing, MI ($108,810 → $117,402), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.5% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Lansing, MI: price level 95.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Lansing, MI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 95.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,351 in Lansing | $93,152 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,012/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,181 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,999 (MI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $52,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Lansing-East Lansing, MI MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Lansing-East Lansing, MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Lansing |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 95.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Lansing, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
47 Fair offer
Lansing, MI → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Lansing, MI is in Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Lansing, MI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Lansing, MI | Real change, Hickory → Lansing |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $68,081 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $82,372 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $98,729 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $117,402 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $138,734 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Lansing, MI | Lansing pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $72,930 | $67,936 (+37.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $97,120 | $90,469 (−26.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $79,210 | $73,786 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $84,320 | $78,546 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.