City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 9.0% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $109,000 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Wilmington, NC ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +9.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.2% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,969 in Wilmington | $91,770 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $45,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
43 Weak offer
Wilmington, NC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
97 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Wilmington, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Hickory → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $48,240 | $44,270 (−10.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $123,730 | $113,546 (−7.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $77,920 | $71,507 (−7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $80,970 | $74,306 (−7.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.