City comparison
Hickory, NC vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Hickory, NC (88.5) and Wichita, KS (88.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Hickory, NC goes as far as $100,500 in Wichita, KS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $908 a month in Hickory, NC versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 14% of take-home pay in Hickory, NC and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Hickory, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Hickory, NC to Wichita, KS ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.7% in real buying power.
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Hickory, NC | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 88.5 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,520 in Wichita | $99,483 in Hickory |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $908/mo | $849/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 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 14% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,220 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Hickory | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 59.6 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 88.5 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Hickory, NC → Wichita, KS
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
67 Fair offer
Wichita, KS → Hickory, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Hickory, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Wichita, KS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Hickory, NC to Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Hickory, NC | Wichita, KS | Real change, Hickory → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Hickory, NC | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Hickory dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $49,540 | $58,640 | $58,337 (+17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,540 | $105,980 | $105,432 (−14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,490 | $79,270 | $78,860 (+1.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,060 | $76,540 | $76,144 (−4.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.