City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Hickory, NC are 4.4% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $104,400 in Hickory, NC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $982 a month in Shreveport, LA versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 15% of take-home pay in Shreveport, LA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $868 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Shreveport, LA ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.1% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,796 in Shreveport | $104,389 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$868/yr.
82 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Hickory, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$868/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Hickory → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $61,850 | $64,564 (+30.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $96,680 | $100,923 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $70,420 | $73,510 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $80,080 | $83,594 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.