City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 8.6% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $108,600 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.4% moving from Hickory, NC to Springfield, MA ($108,810 → $120,094), while prices change by +8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,561 in Springfield | $92,114 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
44 Weak offer
Springfield, MA → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
96 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Hickory → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $69,642 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $84,260 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $100,992 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $120,094 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $141,915 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $79,640 | $73,360 (+48.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $127,740 | $117,667 (−4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $92,010 | $84,754 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $98,410 | $90,650 (+13.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.