$100k a year, no longer in Nashville

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Hickory, NC cityscape

from nashville

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

$19

the monthly cost of moving past Nashville

A small premium for Hickory. Worth it only if the rest of the city earns it back.
landable, recorded on the hickory entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

20% cheaper than Nashville(vs $1,790/mo)

02state income tax

4.5%

$375/mo more in state tax than Nashville

vs 0% in Nashville

03after rent

$6,524/mo

$19 less than Nashville

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

04a house here

$268k

42% cheaper than Nashville

vs $461k in Nashville

05metro size

370k

vs 2.1M in Nashville

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

189

pleasant days a year, in hickory.

Nashville only manages 173 of those.

Nashville hosts 14.9× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

64/100

14% higher than Nashville

vs 56/100 in Nashville

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

·walk score®

70/100

27% lower than Nashville

vs 96/100 in Nashville

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

0

100% fewer than Nashville

vs 47 nonstops in Nashville

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