City comparison
Albany, NY vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 12.5% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $112,500 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.9% moving from Albany, NY to Hickory, NC ($109,810 → $108,810), while prices change by −11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.5% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- 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
| Albany, NY | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,872 in Hickory | $112,522 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Hickory, NC | Real change, Albany → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $63,098 | +11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $76,343 | +11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $91,503 | +11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $108,810 | +11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $128,581 | +11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $49,540 | $55,743 (−29.7%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $122,540 | $137,884 (+7.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $77,490 | $87,193 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $80,060 | $90,085 (−9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.