City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Rockford, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rockford, IL are 4.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $104,100 in Rockford, IL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $908 a month in Hickory, NC and $895 in Rockford, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Rockford, IL than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.4% moving from Hickory, NC to Rockford, IL ($108,810 → $118,984), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Rockford, IL: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Rockford, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,145 in Rockford | $96,020 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $895/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $47,120 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Rockford, IL MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Rockford, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Rockford |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 70.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 89.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Rockford, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
56 Fair offer
Rockford, IL → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Rockford, IL is in Chicago-Naperville, IL-IN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Rockford, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Rockford, IL | Real change, Hickory → Rockford |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $68,999 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $83,482 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,059 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $118,984 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $140,604 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Rockford, IL | Rockford pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $64,200 | $61,645 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $107,640 | $103,356 (−15.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $75,260 | $72,264 (−6.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $80,930 | $77,709 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.