City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 10.7% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $110,700 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 $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $868 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Lafayette, LA.
- 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 Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +10.7%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,366 in Lafayette | $110,661 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$868/yr.
100 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$868/yr.
39 Weak 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 Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Asheville → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +10.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +10.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +10.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +10.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +10.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $47,770 | $52,863 (+5.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $109,010 | $120,631 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $67,630 | $74,840 (−6.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $81,960 | $90,697 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.