$100k a year, no longer in Raleigh

change
Hickory, NC cityscape

if you left raleigh

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

$229

less monthly outlay than Raleigh

Hickory is the easier version of your monthly budget. Lower rent, lighter monthly outlay.
landable, recorded on the hickory entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

14% cheaper than Raleigh(vs $1,663/mo)

02state income tax

4.5%

vs 4.5% in Raleigh

03after rent

$6,524/mo

$229 more than Raleigh

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

04a house here

$268k

39% cheaper than Raleigh

vs $440k in Raleigh

05metro size

370k

vs 1.5M in Raleigh

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

189

pleasant days a year, in hickory.

Raleigh gets 201 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

Raleigh hosts 2.5× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

64/100

10% higher than Raleigh

vs 58/100 in Raleigh

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

·walk score®

70/100

28% lower than Raleigh

vs 97/100 in Raleigh

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

0

100% fewer than Raleigh

vs 39 nonstops in Raleigh

04 · see also

same energy as hickory, different zip code:

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