City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 8.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $108,000 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 $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,687 in AR.
- 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 Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +8.0%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,599 in Little Rock | $107,992 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
94 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
46 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 Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Asheville → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $58,580 | $63,262 (+26.3%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $104,070 | $112,387 (−16.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $65,810 | $71,070 (−11.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $81,070 | $87,549 (+7.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.