City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 7.9% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $107,900 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,356 in Modesto, CA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 22% in Modesto, CA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Asheville, NC to Modesto, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +15.9% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,877 in Modesto | $92,698 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
46 Fair offer
Modesto, CA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
93 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Modesto, CA | Real change, Asheville → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +15.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +15.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +15.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +15.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +15.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $101,640 | $94,218 (+88.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $119,770 | $111,024 (−17.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $83,560 | $77,458 (−3.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $132,590 | $122,908 (+50.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.