on $100k a year, leaving Atlanta

change
Hickory, NC cityscape

swapping out of atlanta

Hickory

nc · metro 370k

photo: Mark Stebnicki / pexels

a dispatch from

hickory

NC

35.73°N

81.34°W

Hickory is North Carolina's furniture capital, with the Hickory Furniture Mart and the surrounding factories shaping the local economy. The downtown has come back nicely with breweries and a walkable feel. The Blue Ridge foothills start just outside town. Lake Hickory is right there for boating. Cheaper than the bigger NC cities, with mountain access an hour away.

metro370k

in our guides

#9

of 10

Best cities to leave San Francisco for

read the guide
#10

of 10

Best cities to leave Los Angeles for

read the guide
#4

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Austin

read the guide
#9

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Denver

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best small cities to live in

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities to leave Phoenix for

read the guide
#6

of 10

Best cities to leave Denver for

read the guide
#4

of 10

Best cities to leave Austin for

read the guide
#9

of 10

Best cities to live in the Southeast

read the guide
#5

of 10

Best cities in the Carolinas

read the guide
#2

of 10

Best cities to leave Minneapolis for

read the guide
#8

of 10

Best cities for a $60k salary

read the guide
#4

of 10

Affordable alternatives to Boise

read the guide

01 · the verdict

the verdict

$462

under Atlanta, every month

Hickory gives you room Atlanta doesn't. Same gross salary, lower monthly cost of living.
landable, recorded on the hickory entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

21% cheaper than Atlanta(vs $1,814/mo)

02state income tax

4.5%

$82/mo less in state tax than Atlanta

vs 5.49% in Atlanta

03after rent

$6,524/mo

$462 more than Atlanta

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$268k

31% cheaper than Atlanta

vs $386k in Atlanta

05metro size

370k

vs 6.3M in Atlanta

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

189

pleasant days a year, in hickory.

Atlanta gets 204 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

Lighter on events: Atlanta packs 12.6× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

64/100

4% lower than Atlanta

vs 67/100 in Atlanta

Closest outdoor draw: South Mountains State Park, 21.5 mi.

·walk score®

70/100

25% lower than Atlanta

vs 93/100 in Atlanta

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

0

100% fewer than Atlanta

vs 217 nonstops in Atlanta

04 · see also

cities that play in hickory's register:

see also

spartanburg

more flight options

turn the page

see also

roanoke

better park access

turn the page

see also

lancaster

$37/mo cheaper

turn the page

compare hickory with:

SpartanburgRoanokeLancaster