City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 19.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $119,100 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.4% moving from Hickory, NC to Portland, OR ($108,810 → $114,684), while prices change by +19.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.5% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,139 in Portland | $83,936 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.1%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Portland, OR | Real change, Hickory → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $66,505 | −11.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $80,465 | −11.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $96,443 | −11.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $114,684 | −11.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $135,522 | −11.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $82,330 | $69,104 (+39.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $156,000 | $130,940 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $92,200 | $77,389 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $130,310 | $109,377 (+36.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.