City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Savannah, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Savannah, GA are 7.6% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $107,600 in Savannah, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,533 a month in Savannah, GA versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Savannah, GA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Savannah, GA than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Savannah, GA ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.1% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Savannah, GA: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Savannah, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,594 in Savannah | $92,942 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,533/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $47,240 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Savannah, GA MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Savannah, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Savannah |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 86.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Savannah, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.1%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
47 Fair offer
Savannah, GA → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Savannah, GA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Savannah, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Savannah, GA | Real change, Hickory → Savannah |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Savannah, GA | Savannah pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $63,710 | $59,213 (+19.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $123,220 | $114,523 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $79,790 | $74,158 (−4.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $86,760 | $80,636 (+0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.