City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Mobile, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hickory, NC (88.5) and Mobile, AL (88.1, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hickory, NC goes as far as $99,600 in Mobile, AL.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $908 a month in Hickory, NC and $919 in Mobile, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Mobile, AL than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Mobile, AL ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Mobile, AL: price level 88.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Mobile, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 88.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,562 in Mobile | $100,440 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $919/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $47,000 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Mobile, AL MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Mobile, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Mobile |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 60.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 84.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 88.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Mobile, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
70 Strong offer
Mobile, AL → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Mobile, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Mobile, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Mobile, AL | Real change, Hickory → Mobile |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Mobile, AL | Mobile pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $60,970 | $61,239 (+23.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $122,540 | $123,080 (+0.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $72,130 | $72,448 (−6.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $79,490 | $79,840 (−0.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.