City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Atlanta, GA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlanta, GA are 3.7% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $103,700 in Atlanta, GA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,660 a month in Atlanta, GA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Atlanta, GA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Atlanta, GA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +5.7% moving from Asheville, NC to Atlanta, GA ($106,437 → $112,556), while prices change by +3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Atlanta, GA: price level 100.1 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Atlanta, GA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 100.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,681 in Atlanta | $96,450 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,660/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,613 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,567 (GA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Atlanta |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 111.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 100.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 96.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 100.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Atlanta, GA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
55 Fair offer
Atlanta, GA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Atlanta, GA is in Atlanta-Athens-Clarke County-Sandy Springs, GA-AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Atlanta, GA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Atlanta, GA | Real change, Asheville → Atlanta |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $65,271 | +2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,972 | +2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $94,654 | +2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $112,556 | +2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $133,007 | +2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Atlanta, GA | Atlanta pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $76,570 | $73,852 (+47.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $132,960 | $128,240 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $85,820 | $82,773 (+3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $100,490 | $96,923 (+18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.