City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Asheville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 9.2% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $109,200 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,243 in Anchorage, AK. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 19% in Anchorage, AK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Asheville, NC ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.4% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Asheville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 96.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,544 in Asheville | $109,237 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $1,429/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $46,870 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Asheville, NC MSA. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Asheville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Asheville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 93.4 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 96.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
98 Strong offer
Asheville, NC → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Asheville, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Asheville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Asheville, NC | Real change, Anchorage → Asheville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Asheville, NC | Asheville pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $50,080 | $54,706 (−31.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $134,350 | $146,760 (+41.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $80,400 | $87,826 (+6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $81,590 | $89,126 (−22.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.