City comparison
Deltona, FL vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Deltona, FL are 12.3% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $112,300 in Deltona, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,385 a month in Deltona, FL versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Deltona, FL and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Deltona, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Deltona, FL to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −11.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +14.8% in real buying power.
- Deltona, FL: price level 99.4 (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
| Deltona, FL | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,050 in Hickory | $112,297 in Deltona |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,385/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,940 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Deltona | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 108.4 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.6 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Deltona, FL → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Deltona, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.0%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Deltona, FL 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 Deltona, FL to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Deltona, FL | Hickory, NC | Real change, Deltona → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +14.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +14.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +14.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +14.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +14.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Deltona, FL | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Deltona dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,770 | $49,540 | $55,632 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,000 | $122,540 | $137,609 (+12.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,730 | $77,490 | $87,019 (+18.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $84,180 | $80,060 | $89,905 (+6.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.