City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 3.9% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $103,900 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Omaha, NE ($108,810 → $107,501), while prices change by +3.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,871 in Omaha | $96,274 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
57 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Omaha, NE | Real change, Hickory → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,339 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,425 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,402 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,501 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $127,033 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $62,670 | $60,335 (+21.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $125,220 | $120,554 (−1.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $77,030 | $74,160 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $84,600 | $81,447 (+1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.