City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 18.5% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $118,500 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +6.6% moving from Hickory, NC to Minneapolis, MN ($108,810 → $116,038), while prices change by +18.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $118,462 in Minneapolis | $84,415 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Hickory → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $67,290 | −10.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $81,415 | −10.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $97,582 | −10.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $116,038 | −10.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $137,123 | −10.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $79,730 | $67,304 (+35.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $130,920 | $110,517 (−9.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $86,500 | $73,019 (−5.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $103,040 | $86,982 (+8.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.