City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Huntington, WV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hickory, NC (88.5) and Huntington, WV (88.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hickory, NC goes as far as $99,900 in Huntington, WV.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $853 in Huntington, WV. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 14% in Huntington, WV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $404 a year higher in Huntington, WV than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Huntington, WV ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Huntington, WV: price level 88.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Huntington, WV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 88.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,928 in Huntington | $100,072 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $853/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,295 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,885 (WV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $44,600 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Huntington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 51.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 88.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Huntington, WV
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$404/yr.
69 Fair offer
Huntington, WV → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$404/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Huntington, WV is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Huntington, WV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Huntington, WV | Real change, Hickory → Huntington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Huntington, WV | Huntington pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $57,450 | $57,492 (+16.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $110,780 | $110,860 (−9.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $70,840 | $70,891 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $81,010 | $81,069 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.