City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 11.5% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $111,500 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.2% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Hickory, NC ($108,592 → $108,810), while prices change by −10.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +11.7% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,697 in Hickory | $111,487 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
100 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Hickory, NC | Real change, Harrisburg → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $63,098 | +11.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $76,343 | +11.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $91,503 | +11.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $108,810 | +11.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $128,581 | +11.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $49,540 | $55,230 (−28.4%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $122,540 | $136,616 (+24.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $77,490 | $86,391 (+12.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $80,060 | $89,256 (−7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.