City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 14.2% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $114,200 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.8% moving from Hickory, NC to Reno, NV ($108,810 → $106,855), while prices change by +14.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −14.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,158 in Reno | $87,598 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Reno, NV | Real change, Hickory → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,965 | −14.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,972 | −14.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,859 | −14.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,855 | −14.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,271 | −14.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $62,430 | $54,687 (+10.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $125,710 | $110,119 (−10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $82,370 | $72,154 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $107,520 | $94,185 (+17.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.