City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 17.2% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $117,200 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.9% moving from Hickory, NC to Olympia, WA ($108,810 → $119,630), while prices change by +17.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.2% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,160 in Olympia | $85,354 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.6%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
37 Weak offer
Olympia, WA → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.2%; 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; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Olympia, WA | Real change, Hickory → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,373 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $83,935 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,602 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $119,630 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $141,367 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $104,650 | $89,322 (+80.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $124,060 | $105,890 (−13.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $94,470 | $80,633 (+4.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $125,020 | $106,709 (+33.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.