City comparison
Columbus, GA vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Columbus, GA (89.3) and Hickory, NC (88.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Columbus, GA goes as far as $99,100 in Hickory, NC.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $939 a month in Columbus, GA and $908 in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Columbus, GA than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Columbus, GA to Hickory, NC ($112,556 → $108,810), while prices change by −0.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, GA: price level 89.3 (much 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
| Columbus, GA | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.3 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,093 in Hickory | $100,915 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $939/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,540 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Columbus, GA-AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, GA-AL and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 61.2 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.7 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.3 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, GA → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
72 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Columbus, GA
Roughly even
Buying power −0.9%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, GA is in the Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, GA to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, GA | Hickory, NC | Real change, Columbus → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $65,271 | $63,098 | −2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,972 | $76,343 | −2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $94,654 | $91,503 | −2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $112,556 | $108,810 | −2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $133,007 | $128,581 | −2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, GA | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,360 | $49,540 | $49,993 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $116,150 | $122,540 | $123,662 (+6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,640 | $77,490 | $78,199 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,500 | $80,060 | $80,793 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.