City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Denver, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 9.6% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $109,600 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,692 in CO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +11.5% moving from Asheville, NC to Denver, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +9.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Denver, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 105.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,612 in Denver | $91,231 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,754/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,488 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,692 (CO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $62,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Denver |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 146.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 101.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 105.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
37 Weak offer
Denver, CO → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Denver, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Denver, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Denver, CO | Real change, Asheville → Denver |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Denver, CO | Denver pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $76,910 | $70,166 (+40.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $137,610 | $125,543 (−6.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $100,020 | $91,249 (+13.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $101,130 | $92,262 (+13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.