Relocation: Austin-Round Rock, TX to Hickory-Lenoir, NC
Data updated · Sources: HUD FY 2027 Fair Market Rents, EPI 2026 Family Budget, 2026 tax tables · Methodology
Income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents and EPI living costs for a move from Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX to Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
Interactive Purchasing Power Equivalency Workbench
Adjust your current salary at origin to dynamically compute the statutory tax burden, housing costs, and discretionary cash in both markets.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (Monthly) | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $1,530 | $965 | -$565 | -36.9% |
| Food & Groceries | $334 | $327 | -$7 | -2.1% |
| Transportation | $1,062 | $1,103 | +$41 | +3.9% |
| Healthcare | $467 | $466 | -$1 | -0.2% |
| Other Necessities | $585 | $356 | -$229 | -39.1% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $1,735 | $2,025 | +$290 | +16.7% |
HUD Fair Market Rent Differential
EPI Living Wage Benchmark Comparison
Top Local Occupations Wage Parity
BLS median wage comparisons across benchmark roles between both metropolitan labor markets.
| Occupation Title | Industry Sector | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Median | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $117,850 | $95,640 | -$22,210 (-18.8%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $134,120 | $122,540 | -$11,580 (-8.6%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $97,890 | $80,060 | -$17,830 (-18.2%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $102,390 | $85,490 | -$16,900 (-16.5%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $83,120 | $77,490 | -$5,630 (-6.8%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $176,990 | $163,010 | -$13,980 (-7.9%) | View Dossier |
| Solutions ArchitectTechnology | Technology | $129,470 | $74,310 | -$55,160 (-42.6%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $151,760 | $132,060 | -$19,700 (-13.0%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $60,390 | $53,730 | -$6,660 (-11.0%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $167,180 | $138,150 | -$29,030 (-17.4%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $164,920 | $151,190 | -$13,730 (-8.3%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $106,600 | $76,990 | -$29,610 (-27.8%) | View Dossier |
Major US Inter-Metro Relocation Corridors
Empirical cost differentials and statutory tax savings across high-volume migration routes.
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $14,388 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $6,211 less tax and $17,676 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,805 less tax and $2,928 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,729 less tax and $19,884 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $4,113 less tax and $10,908 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $3,761 more tax and $4,188 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $1,299 less tax and $11,592 less 1BR rent a year
On $100k: $8,301 less tax and $7,296 less 1BR rent a year
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX to Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC Relocation FAQs
About $79,100. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, 99.4 in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX to Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX to Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Austin-Round Rock, TX to Hickory-Lenoir, NC compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $79,100. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, 99.4 in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 20.9% lower in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC than in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.