City comparison
Akron, OH vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 5.5% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $105,500 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $985 a month in Akron, OH versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Akron, OH and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.1% moving from Akron, OH to Hickory, NC ($111,138 → $108,810), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,769 in Hickory | $105,520 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
86 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Akron, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Hickory, NC | Real change, Akron → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $63,098 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $76,343 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $91,503 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $108,810 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $128,581 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $49,540 | $52,274 (−33.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $122,540 | $129,304 (+22.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $77,490 | $81,767 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $80,060 | $84,479 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.