City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Boise City, ID
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 2.0% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $102,000 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC and $1,381 in Boise City, ID.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $710 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Asheville, NC.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Asheville, NC to Boise City, ID changes real buying power by −1.9%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Boise City, ID | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 98.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,953 in Boise City | $98,084 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,381/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,988 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,192 (ID) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,100 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Boise City, ID.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Boise City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 105.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 70.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 98.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Boise City, ID
Roughly even
Buying power −1.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$710/yr.
63 Fair offer
Boise City, ID → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +2.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$710/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Boise City, ID at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Boise City, ID | Real change, Asheville → Boise City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Boise City, ID | Boise City pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $61,230 | $60,057 (+19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $131,590 | $129,069 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $76,700 | $75,231 (−6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $97,880 | $96,005 (+17.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.