City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Cincinnati, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 1.2% higher than in Cincinnati, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Cincinnati, OH would need about $101,200 in Asheville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.2% moving from Asheville, NC to Cincinnati, OH ($106,437 → $110,865), while prices change by −1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.4% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Cincinnati, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 95.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,823 in Cincinnati | $101,191 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,051/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $50,170 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 87.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 91.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 95.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Cincinnati, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
72 Strong offer
Cincinnati, OH → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Cincinnati, OH is in Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Cincinnati, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Cincinnati, OH | Real change, Asheville → Cincinnati |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,290 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,785 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,231 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,865 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,009 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $64,740 | $65,511 (+30.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $121,420 | $122,866 (−8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $80,640 | $81,601 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $83,650 | $84,646 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.