City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 5.8% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $105,800 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Columbia, SC to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,474 in Hickory | $105,850 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
87 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbia, SC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbia, SC to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Hickory, NC | Real change, Columbia → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $49,540 | $52,438 (−12.7%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $122,540 | $129,708 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $77,490 | $82,023 (+18.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $80,060 | $84,743 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.