City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 17.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $117,100 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Hickory, NC to Salem, OR ($108,810 → $114,684), while prices change by +17.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,136 in Salem | $85,371 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Salem, OR | Real change, Hickory → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $66,505 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $80,465 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $96,443 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $114,684 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $135,522 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $74,810 | $63,866 (+28.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $131,620 | $112,365 (−8.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $87,480 | $74,682 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $131,750 | $112,476 (+40.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.