City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Greeley, CO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greeley, CO are 3.8% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $103,800 in Greeley, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,238 in Greeley, CO. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 20% in Greeley, CO.
- 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 Greeley, CO ($106,437 → $118,675), while prices change by +3.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.4% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Greeley, CO: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Greeley, CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,803 in Greeley | $96,336 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,238/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% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $55,070 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Denver-Aurora, CO |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Greeley, CO MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Greeley, CO.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Greeley |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 112.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.1 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 82.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Greeley, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
57 Fair offer
Greeley, CO → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
81 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Greeley, CO is in Denver-Aurora, CO. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Greeley, CO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Greeley, CO | Real change, Asheville → Greeley |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,819 | +7.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,265 | +7.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,800 | +7.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $118,675 | +7.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $140,239 | +7.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Greeley, CO | Greeley pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $60,160 | $57,956 (+15.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $129,480 | $124,736 (−7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $87,240 | $84,044 (+4.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $96,300 | $92,772 (+13.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.