City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Peoria, IL are 3.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $103,100 in Peoria, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,324 a year higher in Peoria, IL than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Peoria, IL ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,102 in Peoria | $96,991 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Peoria, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,324/yr.
59 Fair offer
Peoria, IL → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,324/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Peoria, IL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Peoria, IL | Real change, Hickory → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $57,440 | $55,712 (+12.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $130,590 | $126,661 (+3.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $79,540 | $77,147 (−0.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $81,010 | $78,573 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.