Cost of Living: Hickory, NC vs Charlotte, NC

Quick rent-and-take-home comparison

Using a baseline of $70,000/yr gross, take-home is about $4,254/mo in Hickory, NC versus $4,254/mo in Charlotte, NC. In the model, rent is about 14.21% of gross in Hickory, NC versus 21.91% in Charlotte, NC, so Hickory, NC tends to feel more affordable for rent.

Take-home in Hickory, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: near
Take-home in Charlotte, NC
$4,254/mo
Income level: below
Rent share (1BR) in Hickory, NC
14.21%
COLI tier: mid-range
Rent share (1BR) in Charlotte, NC
21.91%
COLI tier: mid-range

Compare cost of living, rent, housing prices, and salary affordability between Hickory, NC and Charlotte, NC.

At a glance

  • Cheaper overall (lower cost-of-living index): Charlotte, NC
  • Lower rent (median 1BR/2BR): Hickory, NC
  • Lower home prices: Hickory, NC
  • Higher median household income: Charlotte, NC

Cost of Living Index

Hickory, NC: 100 (U.S. = 100) · Charlotte, NC: 95.6 (U.S. = 100)

Charlotte, NC has a lower cost-of-living index than Hickory, NC, so a given salary generally stretches further there.

Median Rent

Hickory, NC: $927/mo (midpoint of 1BR/2BR) · Charlotte, NC: $1,429/mo

Median rent in Charlotte, NC is $502/mo higher than in Hickory, NC.

Median Home Price

Hickory, NC: $248,300 · Charlotte, NC: $351,500

Median home price in Charlotte, NC is $103,200 higher than in Hickory, NC.

Median Household Income

Hickory, NC: $63,361 · Charlotte, NC: $78,438

Charlotte, NC has a higher median household income than Hickory, NC by $15,077.

Hickory, NC overview · Charlotte, NC overview · Popular comparisons