City comparison
Gulfport, MS vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Gulfport, MS are 1.7% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $101,700 in Gulfport, MS to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $923 a month in Gulfport, MS and $908 in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,268 a year in MS and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Gulfport, MS to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −1.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.0% in real buying power.
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (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
| Gulfport, MS | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.0 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,311 in Hickory | $101,718 in Gulfport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $923/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $43,470 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Gulfport-Biloxi, MS and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Gulfport | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 67.9 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 76.3 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 90.0 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Gulfport, MS → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
74 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Gulfport, MS
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
63 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Gulfport, MS 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 Gulfport, MS to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Gulfport, MS | Hickory, NC | Real change, Gulfport → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Gulfport, MS | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Gulfport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,820 | $49,540 | $50,391 (−0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,240 | $122,540 | $124,645 (+19.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,380 | $77,490 | $78,821 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,960 | $80,060 | $81,435 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.