City comparison
Asheville, NC vs College Station, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 6.1% higher than in College Station, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in College Station, TX would need about $106,100 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 $1,082 in College Station, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 16% in College Station, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in College Station, TX.
- 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 College Station, TX changes real buying power by +6.1%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | College Station, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 91.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,244 in College Station | $106,108 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $44,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and College Station-Bryan, TX MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and College Station-Bryan, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | College Station |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 75.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 91.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → College Station, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
88 Strong offer
College Station, TX → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
51 Fair 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 College Station, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | College Station, TX | Real change, Asheville → College Station |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | College Station, TX | College Station pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $57,870 | $61,405 (+22.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $101,910 | $108,134 (−19.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $71,810 | $76,196 (−5.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $83,090 | $88,165 (+8.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.