City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Gainesville, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Asheville, NC (96.5) and Gainesville, FL (96.7, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Asheville, NC goes as far as $100,200 in Gainesville, FL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,246 in Gainesville, FL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 19% in Gainesville, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Gainesville, FL.
- 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 Gainesville, FL changes real buying power by −0.2%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Gainesville, FL: price level 96.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Gainesville, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 96.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,235 in Gainesville | $99,765 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,246/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Gainesville, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Gainesville, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Gainesville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 93.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 96.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Gainesville, FL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
68 Fair offer
Gainesville, FL → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
69 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 Gainesville, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Gainesville, FL | Real change, Asheville → Gainesville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Gainesville, FL | Gainesville pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $56,430 | $56,298 (+12.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,950 | $122,661 (−8.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $75,820 | $75,642 (−5.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $81,870 | $81,678 (+0.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.