Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other Salary
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Others in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC make a median of $53,210 a year, or about $25.58 an hour. The range runs from $39K at the entry level to $68K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $60,131 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,095/month, about 30.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $53K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About community and social service specialists, all others
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What this looks like in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Community and social service specialists, all other pay in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton tracks closely to the national median, $53K locally vs. $57K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,095/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 31% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for community and social service specialists, all others in metros near Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Raleigh-Cary | $60K | $62K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $55K | $56K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $58K | $60K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $49K | $53K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level community and social service specialists, all others (10th percentile) start around $39K. Mid-career wages sit at $53K. Top earners bring in $68K or more, a $29K spread from bottom to top.
Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Community and Social Service Specialists, All Other salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | $73K | +29% | 80 |
| Virginia | $70K | +23% | 2,190 |
| District of Columbia | $69K | +22% | 440 |
| New York | $67K | +17% | 15,300 |
| Washington | $64K | +13% | 4,800 |
| Rhode Island | $64K | +12% | 250 |
| North Dakota | $63K | +12% | 170 |
| New Jersey | $62K | +9% | 3,860 |
| Hawaii | $61K | +8% | 760 |
| California | $59K | +4% | 16,250 |
| Kentucky | $58K | +3% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $57K | +1% | 1,480 |
| Oregon | $57K | +0% | 1,980 |
| Alaska | $57K | +0% | 270 |
| New Hampshire | $57K | +0% | 1,520 |
| Colorado | $55K | -2% | 6,540 |
| Wisconsin | $55K | -3% | 830 |
| North Carolina | $55K | -3% | 3,460 |
| Pennsylvania | $55K | -3% | 2,040 |
| Minnesota | $54K | -5% | 4,010 |
| Tennessee | $54K | -5% | 1,940 |
| Connecticut | $54K | -5% | 1,520 |
| Delaware | $54K | -5% | 320 |
| Oklahoma | $54K | -5% | 70 |
| Nebraska | $53K | -6% | 160 |
| Vermont | $53K | -6% | 2,850 |
| Arizona | $52K | -8% | 380 |
| South Carolina | $52K | -9% | 220 |
| Maryland | $51K | -10% | 2,640 |
| Florida | $50K | -11% | 3,750 |
| Idaho | $50K | -11% | 130 |
| Missouri | $50K | -12% | 930 |
| Michigan | $50K | -12% | 2,360 |
| Nevada | $50K | -13% | 280 |
| Louisiana | $49K | -13% | 5,730 |
| Indiana | $49K | -14% | 190 |
| New Mexico | $49K | -14% | 270 |
| Texas | $48K | -15% | 6,080 |
| Kansas | $48K | -16% | 730 |
| Iowa | $46K | -18% | 250 |
| Utah | $46K | -19% | 480 |
| Ohio | $46K | -19% | 820 |
| Georgia | $45K | -20% | 3,740 |
| Mississippi | $44K | -22% | 1,040 |
| Maine | $44K | -22% | 80 |
| Montana | $42K | -26% | 480 |
| West Virginia | $41K | -28% | 510 |
| Illinois | $41K | -28% | 2,750 |
| Arkansas | $41K | -28% | 450 |
Showing 1–10 of 49 states with published data
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track community and social service specialists, all other salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a community and social service specialists, all other afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $53K, rent takes 31% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for community and social service specialists, all others in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new community and social service specialists, all others typically earn — is $39K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,343/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is community and social service specialists, all other a high-paying job in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $53K locally vs. $57K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for community and social service specialists, all others?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $53K median vs. the U.S. average of $57K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $60K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do community and social service specialists, all others make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $53,210 a year, that works out to about $26 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $39,050, and experienced community and social service specialists, all others can clear $67,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $53K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,533/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 31% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a community and social service specialists, all other salary go in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median community and social service specialists, all other salary is worth about $60,131 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do community and social service specialists, all others get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.