Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Stocker and Order Filler Salary in Hickory, NC

Stockers and Order Fillers in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area earn a median $38,130 a year — 2% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $31,805 take-home, or $2,650 a month.

Median salary
$38,130
$18.33 per hour
Typical range
$29,460 – $49,580
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Hickory, NC
3,500
1.25× national concentration
▲1.8%
Pay trend: The median for stockers and order fillers in Hickory, NC rose from $37,440 (May 2024) to $38,130 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 0.6%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median stocker and order filler salary in Hickory, NC. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Stocker and Order Filler in Hickory, NC
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$31,805
per year · effective tax rate 16.6%
$2,650Monthly
$1,325Twice a month
$1,223Every 2 weeks
$15.29Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,396
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,364
  • Medicare (1.45%)$553
  • North Carolina income tax$1,013
  • Take-home pay$31,805

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.99% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Stocker and Order Filler pay by experience in Hickory, NC

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$29,460$14.16$25,184$2,099
25th percentile$34,230$16.46$28,827$2,402
Median (50th)$38,130$18.33$31,805$2,650
75th percentile$43,670$21.00$36,035$3,003
90th percentile (top earners)$49,580$23.84$40,548$3,379

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, North Carolina resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $38,130 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 stocker and order filler's $31,805 take-home pay has the buying power of $35,943 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$908
34% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,095
41% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,742
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Hickory, NC has 1.3× the national concentration of stocker and order filler jobs — a strong local market for this occupation.

Best-paying cities for stockers and order fillers, adjusted for cost of living

Hickory, NC ranks #4 of 171 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Kenosha, WI $46,030$37,921$37,502
2Chambersburg, PA $42,990$35,403$37,407
3Olympia, WA $44,070$37,590$36,260
4Hickory, NC $38,130$31,805$35,943
5Seattle, WA $46,830$39,808$35,820
6Sioux Falls, SD $37,650$32,432$35,784
7Kingsport, TN $35,760$30,913$35,760
8McAllen, TX $35,080$30,367$35,353

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 171 metros →

About the job: stockers and order fillers

Receive, store, and issue merchandise, materials, equipment, and other items from stockroom, warehouse, or storage yard to fill shelves, racks, tables, or customers’ orders. May operate power equipment to fill orders. May mark prices on merchandise and set up sales displays.

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
+8.9% (much faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Stocker and Order Filler salaries elsewhere in North Carolina

Frequently asked questions

How much does a stocker and order filler make in Hickory, NC?

The median stocker and order filler salary in the Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC metro area is $38,130 a year, or about $18.33 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $34,230 and $43,670.

What is a stocker and order filler’s take-home pay in Hickory, NC?

On the median $38,130 salary, a single filer living in North Carolina takes home about $31,805 a year ($2,650 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,013 in North Carolina taxes in 2026.

Is Hickory, NC a good place to work as a stocker and order filler?

Pay here is 2% above the national median of $37,330. Local prices are 11.5% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $35,943 would in a typical U.S. city. Hickory, NC ranks #4 of 171 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a stocker and order filler 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) — 34% of a median stocker and order filler’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

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