Pinehurst, NC vs Hickory, NC: cost of living compared
Price levels from BEA (2024); rent and home values from Zillow (September 2026).
The short answer
- Overall, living costs in Hickory, NC and Pinehurst, NC are within 1% of each other (BEA, 2024).
- To keep the same standard of living, $75,000 in Pinehurst works out to about $75,100 in Hickory, before taxes.
- Housing is 0.4% higher in Hickory, goods 0.0% higher and other services 0.0% higher, which roughly cancel out.
- Typical asking rent is $1,595 a month in Hickory and $1,861 in Pinehurst, $3,192 a year less in Hickory (Zillow, September 2026).
- A typical home is valued at about $267,000 in Hickory and $410,000 in Pinehurst.
- The gap has narrowed since 2019, when Hickory was 4.3% less expensive than Pinehurst.
derived Calculated from BEA Regional Price Parities (2024) and Zillow data. Based on an average household's spending; taxes not included. How we calculate.
Category by category
Both cities against the US average (100). The gap in each row is what matters for a move.
Overall prices are about the same in Pinehurst and Hickory
Price level by category, 2024. US average = 100.
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 88.3 | 88.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Housing (rents) | 59.3 | 59.6 |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Category | Pinehurst | Hickory | Hickory vs Pinehurst |
|---|---|---|---|
| All items | 88.3 | 88.5 | +0.2% |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 | 0.0% |
| Housing (rents) | 59.3 | 59.6 | +0.4% |
| Utilities | 88.2 | 87.8 | −0.4% |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 | 0.0% |
| Typical asking rent | $1,861 | $1,595 | −14.3% |
| Typical home value | $410,000 | $267,000 | −35.0% |
| Salary to match $75,000 in Pinehurst | $75,000 | $75,100 | +0.2% |
Index values: BEA, 2024, US = 100. Rent and home values: Data Provided by Zillow Group, September 2026.
How the gap has changed since 2008
The price gap between Pinehurst and Hickory has narrowed since 2008: 3.7 points then, 0.2 now
Overall price level each year, 2008–2024. US average = 100.
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 86.3 | 90.0 |
| 2009 | 82.9 | 90.3 |
| 2010 | 86.4 | 90.8 |
| 2011 | 86.4 | 92.3 |
| 2012 | 86.9 | 90.9 |
| 2013 | 91.3 | 89.5 |
| 2014 | 89.7 | 91.2 |
| 2015 | 89.8 | 89.5 |
| 2016 | 88.4 | 90.9 |
| 2017 | 89.3 | 90.8 |
| 2018 | 91.6 | 88.6 |
| 2019 | 90.8 | 87.0 |
| 2020 | 88.9 | 87.0 |
| 2021 | 90.9 | 89.1 |
| 2022 | 94.3 | 89.5 |
| 2023 | 92.3 | 89.4 |
| 2024 | 88.3 | 88.5 |
Goods
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.6 | 97.4 |
| 2009 | 91.4 | 95.4 |
| 2010 | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| 2011 | 94.7 | 97.0 |
| 2012 | 91.3 | 97.2 |
| 2013 | 93.1 | 97.1 |
| 2014 | 91.2 | 97.4 |
| 2015 | 90.9 | 96.5 |
| 2016 | 92.2 | 97.2 |
| 2017 | 91.8 | 97.1 |
| 2018 | 95.7 | 95.7 |
| 2019 | 95.7 | 95.7 |
| 2020 | 95.4 | 95.4 |
| 2021 | 96.2 | 96.2 |
| 2022 | 95.6 | 95.6 |
| 2023 | 96.8 | 96.8 |
| 2024 | 96.6 | 96.6 |
Housing (rents)
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 60.4 | 61.4 |
| 2009 | 56.5 | 68.1 |
| 2010 | 59.1 | 63.6 |
| 2011 | 58.5 | 67.8 |
| 2012 | 61.2 | 61.5 |
| 2013 | 72.2 | 58.8 |
| 2014 | 70.6 | 64.1 |
| 2015 | 70.8 | 57.0 |
| 2016 | 66.2 | 58.9 |
| 2017 | 73.3 | 61.7 |
| 2018 | 68.3 | 58.3 |
| 2019 | 73.3 | 55.6 |
| 2020 | 68.5 | 58.7 |
| 2021 | 62.0 | 56.0 |
| 2022 | 80.9 | 59.3 |
| 2023 | 72.5 | 60.1 |
| 2024 | 59.3 | 59.6 |
Utilities
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 80.7 | 85.4 |
| 2009 | 80.5 | 86.7 |
| 2010 | 83.0 | 88.5 |
| 2011 | 84.0 | 87.7 |
| 2012 | 90.1 | 90.0 |
| 2013 | 88.5 | 89.6 |
| 2014 | 89.2 | 89.4 |
| 2015 | 92.0 | 89.5 |
| 2016 | 90.0 | 86.8 |
| 2017 | 88.5 | 83.1 |
| 2018 | 86.0 | 86.1 |
| 2019 | 88.5 | 88.1 |
| 2020 | 87.0 | 86.8 |
| 2021 | 83.8 | 83.4 |
| 2022 | 82.2 | 81.4 |
| 2023 | 83.0 | 82.6 |
| 2024 | 88.2 | 87.8 |
Other services
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024 (US = 100).
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| 2008 | 94.9 | 98.8 |
| 2009 | 92.3 | 98.2 |
| 2010 | 94.0 | 99.7 |
| 2011 | 95.3 | 101.2 |
| 2012 | 97.5 | 100.8 |
| 2013 | 99.2 | 100.3 |
| 2014 | 99.1 | 100.6 |
| 2015 | 98.2 | 101.1 |
| 2016 | 96.3 | 102.3 |
| 2017 | 94.3 | 100.5 |
| 2018 | 98.3 | 98.3 |
| 2019 | 95.8 | 95.8 |
| 2020 | 95.5 | 95.5 |
| 2021 | 99.6 | 99.6 |
| 2022 | 99.7 | 99.7 |
| 2023 | 98.7 | 98.7 |
| 2024 | 98.2 | 98.2 |
Rent and home values
Typical asking rent: $1,595 in Hickory vs $1,861 in Pinehurst
Typical asking rent for a new lease, dollars per month. Quarterly.
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
- United States
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (typical asking rent, all homes, smoothed), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | – | – | $1,145 |
| Jun 2015 | $1,204 | – | $1,170 |
| Sep 2015 | $1,193 | – | $1,181 |
| Dec 2015 | $1,194 | – | $1,182 |
| Mar 2016 | $1,200 | – | $1,195 |
| Jun 2016 | $1,210 | – | $1,219 |
| Sep 2016 | $1,216 | – | $1,225 |
| Dec 2016 | $1,207 | – | $1,222 |
| Mar 2017 | $1,191 | – | $1,245 |
| Jun 2017 | $1,225 | – | $1,270 |
| Sep 2017 | $1,217 | – | $1,276 |
| Dec 2017 | $1,225 | – | $1,275 |
| Mar 2018 | $1,243 | – | $1,296 |
| Jun 2018 | $1,263 | – | $1,320 |
| Sep 2018 | $1,260 | – | $1,327 |
| Dec 2018 | $1,258 | – | $1,329 |
| Mar 2019 | $1,271 | – | $1,349 |
| Jun 2019 | $1,301 | – | $1,376 |
| Sep 2019 | $1,296 | – | $1,383 |
| Dec 2019 | $1,311 | – | $1,381 |
| Mar 2020 | $1,325 | – | $1,402 |
| Jun 2020 | $1,352 | – | $1,406 |
| Sep 2020 | $1,374 | – | $1,410 |
| Dec 2020 | $1,398 | – | $1,407 |
| Mar 2021 | $1,423 | $1,095 | $1,443 |
| Jun 2021 | $1,525 | $1,196 | $1,512 |
| Sep 2021 | $1,595 | $1,280 | $1,590 |
| Dec 2021 | $1,610 | $1,289 | $1,622 |
| Mar 2022 | $1,631 | $1,317 | $1,661 |
| Jun 2022 | $1,742 | $1,401 | $1,721 |
| Sep 2022 | $1,729 | $1,434 | $1,748 |
| Dec 2022 | $1,725 | $1,399 | $1,735 |
| Mar 2023 | $1,781 | $1,428 | $1,757 |
| Jun 2023 | $1,827 | $1,445 | $1,785 |
| Sep 2023 | $1,812 | $1,455 | $1,797 |
| Dec 2023 | $1,835 | $1,452 | $1,786 |
| Mar 2024 | $1,849 | $1,445 | $1,807 |
| Jun 2024 | $1,871 | $1,487 | $1,837 |
| Sep 2024 | $1,854 | $1,480 | $1,845 |
| Dec 2024 | $1,846 | $1,491 | $1,836 |
| Mar 2025 | $1,870 | $1,490 | $1,860 |
| Jun 2025 | $1,883 | $1,536 | $1,880 |
| Sep 2025 | $1,854 | $1,552 | $1,881 |
| Dec 2025 | $1,879 | $1,551 | $1,873 |
| Mar 2026 | $1,863 | $1,553 | $1,894 |
| Jun 2026 | $1,898 | $1,580 | $1,921 |
| Sep 2026 | $1,861 | $1,595 | $1,932 |
Typical home value: $267,000 in Hickory vs $410,000 in Pinehurst
Typical home value, dollars. Quarterly.
- Pinehurst, NC
- Hickory, NC
- United States
Source: Zillow Home Value Index (typical home value, middle tier, smoothed, seasonally adjusted), through September 2026. Data Provided by Zillow Group.
Show the numbers
| Pinehurst, NC | Hickory, NC | United States | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2015 | $202K | $115K | $189K |
| Jun 2015 | $204K | $117K | $192K |
| Sep 2015 | $204K | $119K | $195K |
| Dec 2015 | $206K | $122K | $199K |
| Mar 2016 | $209K | $124K | $202K |
| Jun 2016 | $210K | $125K | $204K |
| Sep 2016 | $211K | $127K | $206K |
| Dec 2016 | $214K | $130K | $209K |
| Mar 2017 | $215K | $131K | $213K |
| Jun 2017 | $218K | $132K | $216K |
| Sep 2017 | $221K | $135K | $219K |
| Dec 2017 | $224K | $137K | $223K |
| Mar 2018 | $226K | $139K | $227K |
| Jun 2018 | $229K | $142K | $230K |
| Sep 2018 | $231K | $145K | $234K |
| Dec 2018 | $233K | $147K | $236K |
| Mar 2019 | $235K | $151K | $239K |
| Jun 2019 | $237K | $154K | $242K |
| Sep 2019 | $240K | $157K | $244K |
| Dec 2019 | $244K | $161K | $247K |
| Mar 2020 | $248K | $164K | $252K |
| Jun 2020 | $252K | $167K | $255K |
| Sep 2020 | $259K | $174K | $260K |
| Dec 2020 | $272K | $184K | $271K |
| Mar 2021 | $285K | $193K | $282K |
| Jun 2021 | $303K | $203K | $296K |
| Sep 2021 | $317K | $206K | $306K |
| Dec 2021 | $327K | $207K | $314K |
| Mar 2022 | $348K | $220K | $330K |
| Jun 2022 | $373K | $234K | $346K |
| Sep 2022 | $379K | $238K | $348K |
| Dec 2022 | $379K | $239K | $345K |
| Mar 2023 | $380K | $239K | $343K |
| Jun 2023 | $386K | $245K | $347K |
| Sep 2023 | $393K | $249K | $352K |
| Dec 2023 | $395K | $252K | $354K |
| Mar 2024 | $398K | $254K | $357K |
| Jun 2024 | $402K | $260K | $361K |
| Sep 2024 | $402K | $261K | $361K |
| Dec 2024 | $406K | $261K | $363K |
| Mar 2025 | $409K | $262K | $364K |
| Jun 2025 | $407K | $261K | $362K |
| Sep 2025 | $407K | $262K | $362K |
| Dec 2025 | $409K | $263K | $364K |
| Mar 2026 | $411K | $266K | $366K |
| Jun 2026 | $411K | $267K | $365K |
| Sep 2026 | $410K | $267K | $366K |
More about each city
What this comparison leaves out
- Taxes. State and local income, sales and property taxes can change the result a lot, especially between states.
- Neighborhoods. These are metro-wide averages; a city center and its outer suburbs can differ by more than two metros do.
- Your own spending mix. The default uses an average household. Use the housing slider above if rent is a bigger share of your budget.
- Timing. BEA price levels are for 2024; Zillow figures are monthly and newer.