$100k a year, no longer in Santa Rosa

change
Hickory, NC cityscape

instead of santa rosa

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

$1,563

cheaper each month than Santa Rosa

In Hickory, rent stops being the headline. The cost gap shows up every month without you trying.
landable, recorded on the hickory entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,434/mo

45% cheaper than Santa Rosa(vs $2,597/mo)

02state income tax

4.5%

$400/mo less in state tax than Santa Rosa

vs 9.3% in Santa Rosa

03after rent

$6,524/mo

$1,563 more than Santa Rosa

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

04a house here

$268k

67% cheaper than Santa Rosa

vs $817k in Santa Rosa

05metro size

370k

vs 482k in Santa Rosa

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

189

pleasant days a year, in hickory.

Santa Rosa gets 254 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

Nights and weekends fill up faster. 19.0× more on the calendar than Santa Rosa.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

64/100

7% lower than Santa Rosa

vs 69/100 in Santa Rosa

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

·walk score®

70/100

29% lower than Santa Rosa

vs 98/100 in Santa Rosa

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

0

100% fewer than Santa Rosa

vs 4 nonstops in Santa Rosa

04 · see also

if hickory appeals, also worth a look:

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