City comparison
Hickory, NC vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hickory, NC are 3.0% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $103,000 in Hickory, NC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in McAllen, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to McAllen, TX ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.8% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,072 in McAllen | $103,016 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
78 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Hickory, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
60 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; McAllen, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | McAllen, TX | Real change, Hickory → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +0.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +0.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +0.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +0.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +0.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $63,110 | $65,014 (+31.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $116,120 | $119,623 (−2.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $64,470 | $66,415 (−14.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $80,540 | $82,969 (+3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.