City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Tulsa, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hickory, NC (88.5) and Tulsa, OK (89.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hickory, NC goes as far as $100,800 in Tulsa, OK.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $987 a month in Tulsa, OK versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Tulsa, OK and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $473 a year higher in Tulsa, OK than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Tulsa, OK ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Tulsa, OK: price level 89.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Tulsa, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 89.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,823 in Tulsa | $99,184 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $987/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Tulsa, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Tulsa, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Tulsa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 68.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 73.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 89.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Tulsa, OK
Roughly even
Buying power −0.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$473/yr.
66 Fair offer
Tulsa, OK → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$473/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Tulsa, OK is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Tulsa, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Tulsa, OK | Real change, Hickory → Tulsa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Tulsa, OK | Tulsa pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $48,220 | $47,827 (−3.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $108,730 | $107,843 (−12.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $81,320 | $80,656 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $84,790 | $84,098 (+5.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.