same $100k income, fresh start from Rochester

change
Hickory, NC cityscape

swapping out of rochester

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

$212

lighter monthly cost than Rochester

Not a fortune, but real money. Hickory runs cheaper than Rochester month over month.
landable, recorded on the hickory entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

7% cheaper than Rochester(vs $1,534/mo)

02state income tax

4.5%

$113/mo less in state tax than Rochester

vs 5.85% in Rochester

03after rent

$6,524/mo

$212 more than Rochester

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

04a house here

$268k

2% cheaper than Rochester

vs $273k in Rochester

05metro size

370k

vs 1.1M in Rochester

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

189

pleasant days a year, in hickory.

Rochester only manages 147 of those.

Noticeably quieter than Rochester. About 37% fewer events on a typical month.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

64/100

10% higher than Rochester

vs 58/100 in Rochester

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

·walk score®

70/100

1% higher than Rochester

vs 69/100 in Rochester

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

0

100% fewer than Rochester

vs 18 nonstops in Rochester

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as hickory:

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