City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Toledo, OH are 3.4% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $103,400 in Toledo, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Hickory, NC than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Toledo, OH ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +3.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.4% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,355 in Toledo | $96,754 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Toledo, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.2%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
59 Fair offer
Toledo, OH → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.4%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
79 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Toledo, OH | Real change, Hickory → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $63,250 | $61,197 (+23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $104,360 | $100,972 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $77,400 | $74,887 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $81,050 | $78,419 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.