City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Baltimore, MD
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baltimore, MD are 8.3% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $108,300 in Baltimore, MD to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,511 a month in Baltimore, MD versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Baltimore, MD and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $905 a year higher in Baltimore, MD than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +14.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Baltimore, MD ($106,437 → $121,785), while prices change by +8.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.7% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Baltimore, MD: price level 104.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Baltimore, MD | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 104.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,270 in Baltimore | $92,362 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,511/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,794 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,386 (MD) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $59,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Baltimore |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 118.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 102.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 110.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.5 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 104.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Baltimore, MD
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$905/yr.
45 Weak offer
Baltimore, MD → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$905/yr.
95 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Baltimore, MD is in Washington-Baltimore-Arlington, DC-MD-VA-WV-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Baltimore, MD at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Baltimore, MD | Real change, Asheville → Baltimore |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $70,623 | +5.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $85,447 | +5.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $102,415 | +5.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $121,785 | +5.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $143,913 | +5.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Baltimore, MD | Baltimore pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $76,400 | $70,564 (+40.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $138,900 | $128,290 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $85,160 | $78,655 (−2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $99,550 | $91,946 (+12.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.