City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 9.7% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $109,700 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.5% moving from Hickory, NC to Rochester, NY ($108,810 → $107,182), while prices change by +9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −10.2% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,661 in Rochester | $91,190 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
41 Weak offer
Rochester, NY → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Rochester, NY | Real change, Hickory → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $62,155 | −10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $75,202 | −10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $90,135 | −10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $107,182 | −10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $126,657 | −10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $62,840 | $57,304 (+15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $122,770 | $111,954 (−8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $80,890 | $73,763 (−4.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $86,570 | $78,943 (−1.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.