$100k salary, packing up from Baltimore

change
Hickory, NC cityscape

if you left baltimore

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

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$742

less monthly outlay than Baltimore

The gap is real. Hickory costs noticeably less than Baltimore, every month.
landable, recorded on the hickory entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

23% cheaper than Baltimore(vs $1,868/mo)

02state income tax

4.5%

$308/mo less in state tax than Baltimore

vs 8.2% in Baltimore

03after rent

$6,524/mo

$742 more than Baltimore

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

04a house here

$268k

35% cheaper than Baltimore

vs $412k in Baltimore

05metro size

370k

vs 2.8M in Baltimore

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

189

pleasant days a year, in hickory.

Baltimore only manages 168 of those.

Lighter on events: Baltimore packs 3.5× more into a month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

64/100

3% lower than Baltimore

vs 66/100 in Baltimore

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

·walk score®

70/100

29% lower than Baltimore

vs 98/100 in Baltimore

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

0

100% fewer than Baltimore

vs 72 nonstops in Baltimore

04 · see also

neighbors of hickory on the map of tradeoffs:

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