City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 4.7% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $104,700 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC and $1,489 in Reno, NV.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.1% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,671 in Reno | $95,537 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
55 Fair offer
Reno, NV → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Reno, NV | Real change, Asheville → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −4.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −4.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −4.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −4.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −4.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $62,430 | $59,644 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $125,710 | $120,100 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $82,370 | $78,694 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $107,520 | $102,722 (+25.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.