City comparison
Gainesville, FL vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gainesville, FL are 9.3% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $109,300 in Gainesville, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,246 a month in Gainesville, FL versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Gainesville, 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 Gainesville, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Gainesville, FL to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.8% in real buying power.
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (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
| Gainesville, FL | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.7 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,474 in Hickory | $109,320 in Gainesville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,246/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 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,020 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Gainesville, FL and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gainesville | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.0 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.7 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gainesville, FL → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
98 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Gainesville, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gainesville, 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 Gainesville, FL to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gainesville, FL | Hickory, NC | Real change, Gainesville → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +11.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +11.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +11.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +11.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +11.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gainesville, FL | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Gainesville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $56,430 | $49,540 | $54,157 (−4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,950 | $122,540 | $133,961 (+9.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,820 | $77,490 | $84,712 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,870 | $80,060 | $87,522 (+6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.