City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Manchester, NH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Manchester, NH are 19.4% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $119,400 in Manchester, NH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,552 a month in Manchester, NH versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Manchester, NH and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Manchester, NH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Hickory, NC to Manchester, NH ($108,810 → $120,548), while prices change by +19.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.2% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Manchester, NH: price level 105.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Manchester, NH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 105.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,405 in Manchester | $83,748 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,552/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (NH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $56,530 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Manchester, NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Manchester-Nashua, NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Manchester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 134.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 133.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.7 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 105.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Manchester, NH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
38 Weak offer
Manchester, NH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Manchester, NH is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Manchester, NH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Manchester, NH | Real change, Hickory → Manchester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,905 | −7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,579 | −7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $101,375 | −7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,548 | −7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $142,452 | −7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Manchester, NH | Manchester pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $73,380 | $61,455 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $162,090 | $135,748 (+10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $83,660 | $70,064 (−9.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $98,600 | $82,576 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.