City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lexington, KY are 5.0% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $105,000 in Lexington, KY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,079 a month in Lexington, KY versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Lexington, KY and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,382 in KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Lexington, KY ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.8% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,976 in Lexington | $95,260 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Lexington, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$99/yr.
54 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$99/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Lexington, KY | Real change, Hickory → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −6.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −6.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −6.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −6.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −6.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $61,460 | $58,547 (+18.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $123,510 | $117,656 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $77,780 | $74,093 (−4.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $79,040 | $75,293 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.