City comparison
Albuquerque, NM vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Albuquerque, NM are 8.0% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $108,000 in Albuquerque, NM to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,185 a month in Albuquerque, NM versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Albuquerque, NM and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,569 a year in NM and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.1% moving from Albuquerque, NM to Hickory, NC ($107,592 → $108,810), while prices change by −7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.2% in real buying power.
- Albuquerque, NM: price level 95.5 (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
| Albuquerque, NM | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,611 in Hickory | $107,979 in Albuquerque |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,185/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,611 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,569 (NM) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,060 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Albuquerque, NM MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Albuquerque, NM and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albuquerque | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 89.2 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 77.9 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albuquerque, NM → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$88/yr.
94 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Albuquerque, NM
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$88/yr.
46 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Albuquerque, NM is in the Albuquerque-Santa Fe-Las Vegas, NM pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albuquerque, NM to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albuquerque, NM | Hickory, NC | Real change, Albuquerque → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,392 | $63,098 | +9.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,489 | $76,343 | +9.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,479 | $91,503 | +9.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,592 | $108,810 | +9.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,141 | $128,581 | +9.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albuquerque, NM | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Albuquerque dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $129,560 | $115,250 | $124,445 (−3.9%) |
| Software Developers | $123,700 | $122,540 | $132,317 (+7.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,880 | $77,490 | $83,673 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,040 | $80,060 | $86,448 (−10.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.