City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Dallas, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dallas, TX are 6.8% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $106,800 in Dallas, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,648 a month in Dallas, TX versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Dallas, TX and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Dallas, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.7% moving from Asheville, NC to Dallas, TX ($106,437 → $115,711), while prices change by +6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Dallas, TX: price level 103.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Dallas, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 103.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,822 in Dallas | $93,613 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,648/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% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,440 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Dallas, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Dallas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 102.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 90.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 103.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Dallas, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
49 Fair offer
Dallas, TX → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dallas, TX is in Dallas-Fort Worth, TX-OK. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Dallas, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Dallas, TX | Real change, Asheville → Dallas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,100 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,186 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,307 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $115,711 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $136,736 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Dallas, TX | Dallas pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $65,070 | $60,914 (+21.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $133,290 | $124,777 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $82,620 | $77,343 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $101,420 | $94,943 (+16.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.