City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 9.9% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $109,900 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Madison, WI than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Madison, WI ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +9.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,946 in Madison | $90,954 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $58,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
40 Weak offer
Madison, WI → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Madison, WI is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Madison, WI | Real change, Hickory → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −11.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −11.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −11.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −11.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −11.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $63,690 | $57,928 (+16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $130,630 | $118,813 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $81,130 | $73,791 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $101,190 | $92,036 (+15.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.