City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 9.8% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $109,800 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, 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 Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Lakeland, FL ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.9% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,781 in Lakeland | $91,090 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.9%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
41 Weak offer
Lakeland, FL → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Hickory → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $50,420 | $45,928 (−7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $122,200 | $111,312 (−9.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $76,820 | $69,976 (−9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $84,030 | $76,543 (−4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.