City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 3.7% higher than in Huntsville, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Huntsville, AL would need about $103,700 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 $1,136 in Huntsville, AL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 18% in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.1% moving from Asheville, NC to Huntsville, AL ($106,437 → $110,847), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,442 in Huntsville | $103,690 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Huntsville, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
80 Strong offer
Huntsville, AL → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Asheville → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,279 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,772 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,216 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,847 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,987 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $62,250 | $64,547 (+28.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $128,080 | $132,806 (−1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,220 | $82,143 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $77,090 | $79,934 (−2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.