City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Atlantic City, NJ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Atlantic City, NJ are 2.4% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $102,400 in Atlantic City, NJ to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Atlantic City, NJ versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Atlantic City, NJ and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $699 a year higher in Atlantic City, NJ than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Asheville, NC to Atlantic City, NJ ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +2.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.6% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Atlantic City, NJ: price level 98.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Atlantic City, NJ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 98.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,436 in Atlantic City | $97,622 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,537/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,000 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,180 (NJ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 98.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 109.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.9 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 98.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Atlantic City, NJ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$699/yr.
61 Fair offer
Atlantic City, NJ → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$699/yr.
76 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Atlantic City, NJ is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Atlantic City, NJ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Atlantic City, NJ | Real change, Asheville → Atlantic City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | +7.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | +7.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | +7.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | +7.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | +7.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Atlantic City, NJ | Atlantic City pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $80,480 | $78,566 (+56.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $126,670 | $123,658 (−8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $83,040 | $81,065 (+0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $99,320 | $96,958 (+18.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.