City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Washington, DC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Washington, DC are 23.1% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $123,100 in Washington, DC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,015 a month in Washington, DC versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Washington, DC and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $2,050 a year higher in Washington, DC than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.9% moving from Hickory, NC to Washington, DC ($108,810 → $121,785), while prices change by +23.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.0% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Washington, DC: price level 108.9 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Washington, DC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 108.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $123,052 in Washington | $81,266 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $2,015/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,649 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,532 (DC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $71,060 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Washington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 151.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 104.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 106.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 108.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Washington, DC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −18.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$2,050/yr.
26 Weak offer
Washington, DC → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +23.1%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$2,050/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Washington, DC is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Washington, DC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Washington, DC | Real change, Hickory → Washington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $70,623 | −9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $85,447 | −9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $102,415 | −9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $121,785 | −9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $143,913 | −9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Washington, DC | Washington pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $79,470 | $64,582 (+30.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $154,930 | $125,906 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $102,140 | $83,005 (+7.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $102,710 | $83,469 (+4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.