Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton → Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton to Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek is less favorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 88.5 to 92.7 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $178/mo.
- +$8,496
- BLS median salary higher in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
- 365 to 293
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 15.8:1 to 18.2:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $2,304
- DOL infant care higher / yr in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + $8K higher median salary
- + Fewer environmental violations
Cons of Moving
- - 4% higher cost of living
- - $178/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
- - Higher student-teacher ratios
- - More expensive childcare
Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 88.5 to 92.7 (ratio 1.05), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $178/mo ($2,136/yr) from $1,095 in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton to $1,273 in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (3 destination wins · 4 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek sits #200 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton is #56/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Less Favorable. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $8,496 higher ($59,550 → $68,046). Labor-market size: 148,530 tracked jobs at origin vs 365,260 at destination.
State retirement friendliness favors staying put: North Carolina scores 68 (C, #13/51) vs Ohio at 59 (D, #29/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 68
- Property tax
- 66
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 30
- Income tax
- 72
- Property tax
- 57
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 10
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton to see what you'd need to earn in Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek to maintain the same purchasing power.
Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek metro profile · Livability rankings · Methodology
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026