City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 15.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $115,100 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,173 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Hickory, NC to Portland, ME ($108,810 → $120,548), while prices change by +15.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.8% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $115,112 in Portland | $86,872 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.1%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$2,173/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,173/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Portland, ME | Real change, Hickory → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,905 | −3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,579 | −3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $101,375 | −3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,548 | −3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $142,452 | −3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $76,770 | $66,692 (+34.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $128,710 | $111,813 (−8.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $79,790 | $69,315 (−10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $88,470 | $76,856 (−4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.