Packers and Packagers, Hand Salary in Hickory, NC
Packers and Packagers, Hand in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median $35,840 a year — 1% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $30,056 take-home, or $2,505 a month.
Take-home pay calculator
Pre-filled with the median packers and packagers, hand salary in Hickory, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.
- Federal income tax$2,121
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,222
- Medicare (1.45%)$520
- North Carolina income tax$921
- Take-home pay$30,056
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state
Packers and Packagers, Hand pay by experience in Hickory, NC
| Percentile | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / yr | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,940 | $13.43 | $24,013 | $2,001 |
| 25th percentile | $32,150 | $15.46 | $27,238 | $2,270 |
| Median (50th) | $35,840 | $17.23 | $30,056 | $2,505 |
| 75th percentile | $39,580 | $19.03 | $32,912 | $2,743 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $44,310 | $21.30 | $36,524 | $3,044 |
Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.
What $35,840 buys in Hickory, NC
Prices in Hickory, NC are 11.5% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 40% below the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median packers and packagers, hand's $30,056 take-home pay has the buying power of $33,967 in a typical American city.
Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Hickory, NC has 1.8× the national concentration of packers and packagers, hand jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.
Best-paying cities for packers and packagers, hand, adjusted for cost of living
Hickory, NC ranks #18 of 156 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.
| # | Metro area | Median salary | Take-home | Real value* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kansas City, MO | $44,460 | $36,751 | $39,713 |
| 2 | Jackson, TN | $37,670 | $32,448 | $37,941 |
| 3 | Wichita, KS | $40,360 | $33,157 | $37,278 |
| 4 | Canton, OH | $38,800 | $33,071 | $36,990 |
| 5 | Kingsport, TN | $36,570 | $31,564 | $36,513 |
| 6 | Sioux City, IA | $37,390 | $31,454 | $36,382 |
| 7 | York, PA | $41,800 | $34,483 | $35,920 |
| 8 | Omaha, NE | $38,880 | $32,531 | $35,394 |
| 18 | Hickory, NC | $35,840 | $30,056 | $33,967 |
*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 156 metros →
Packers and Packagers, Hand salaries elsewhere in North Carolina
- Asheville, NC — $37,690
- Goldsboro, NC — $34,200
- Winston, NC — $35,050
- Greensboro, NC — $35,340
- Charlotte, NC — $37,030
- Durham, NC — $36,220
- Raleigh, NC — $33,510
- Burlington, NC — $29,540
Frequently asked questions
How much does a packers and packagers, hand make in Hickory, NC?
The median packers and packagers, hand salary in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $35,840 a year, or about $17.23 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $32,150 and $39,580.
What is a packers and packagers, hand’s take-home pay in Hickory, NC?
On the median $35,840 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $30,056 a year ($2,505 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $921 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.
Is Hickory, NC a good place to work as a packers and packagers, hand?
Pay here is 1% below the national median of $36,280. Local prices are 11.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $33,967 would in a typical U.S. city. Hickory, NC ranks #18 of 156 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.
Can a packers and packagers, hand afford rent in Hickory, NC?
HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Hickory, NC is $908 a month ($1,095 for two bedrooms) — 36% of a median packers and packagers, hand’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.
Related jobs in Hickory, NC
- First-Line Supervisors of Transportation and Material Moving Workers, Except Aircraft Cargo Handling Supervisors — $60,690
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $57,460
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $42,850
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $40,240
- Stocker and Order Filler — $38,130
- Light Truck Driver — $38,070
- Cleaner of Vehicles and Equipment — $33,930
- Driver/Sales Worker — $32,050