Relocation: Hickory-Lenoir, NC to Austin-Round Rock, TX
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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX.
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.
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
Itemized Cost of Living Expenditure Arbitrage
Category-by-category breakdown of monthly baseline consumption between origin and destination.
| Expenditure Category | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton (Monthly) | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos (Monthly) | Monthly Delta ($) | Difference (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Housing (1BR Fair Market Rent) | $965 | $1,530 | +$565 | +58.5% |
| Food & Groceries | $327 | $334 | +$7 | +2.1% |
| Transportation | $1,103 | $1,062 | -$41 | -3.7% |
| Healthcare | $466 | $467 | +$1 | +0.2% |
| Other Necessities | $356 | $585 | +$229 | +64.3% |
| Total Taxes (Federal, State, Local, FICA) | $2,025 | $1,735 | -$290 | -14.3% |
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 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton Median | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos Median | Nominal Wage Delta | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General and Operations ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $95,640 | $117,850 | +$22,210 (+23.2%) | View Dossier |
| Software EngineerTechnology | Technology | $122,540 | $134,120 | +$11,580 (+9.4%) | View Dossier |
| Registered Nurse (RN)Healthcare | Healthcare | $80,060 | $97,890 | +$17,830 (+22.3%) | View Dossier |
| Project Management SpecialistBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $85,490 | $102,390 | +$16,900 (+19.8%) | View Dossier |
| Accountant & AuditorFinance | Finance | $77,490 | $83,120 | +$5,630 (+7.3%) | View Dossier |
| Computer and Information Systems ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $163,010 | $176,990 | +$13,980 (+8.6%) | View Dossier |
| Solutions ArchitectTechnology | Technology | $74,310 | $129,470 | +$55,160 (+74.2%) | View Dossier |
| Sales ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $132,060 | $151,760 | +$19,700 (+14.9%) | View Dossier |
| ElectricianSkilled Trades | Skilled Trades | $53,730 | $60,390 | +$6,660 (+12.4%) | View Dossier |
| Financial ManagerFinance | Finance | $138,150 | $167,180 | +$29,030 (+21.0%) | View Dossier |
| Marketing ManagersFinance & Management | Finance & Management | $151,190 | $164,920 | +$13,730 (+9.1%) | View Dossier |
| Management AnalystBusiness Operations | Business Operations | $76,990 | $106,600 | +$29,610 (+38.5%) | 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
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX Relocation FAQs
About $126,400. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (99.4 in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, 125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: State Paychecks, Rents & Reciprocal Corridor
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC to Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX: 2026 federal, state & local income tax, HUD Fair Market Rents & EPI living costs compared on. Official 2026 economic data for Relocation: Hickory-Lenoir, NC to Austin-Round Rock, TX compiled from Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS surveys, HUD Fair Market Rents, and statutory tax codes.
Quick answers
About $126,400. That scales $100,000 by the ratio of the metros' cost-of-living indexes (99.4 in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC, 125.6 in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX, from EPI family budgets); taxes are compared separately below.
EPI's family budgets for a single adult put overall living costs 26.4% higher in Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX than in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC. The budgets cover housing, food, transportation, health care and other necessities.