City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 3.1% higher than in Roanoke, VA. Someone earning $100,000 in Roanoke, VA would need about $103,100 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 $1,053 in Roanoke, VA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 17% in Roanoke, VA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Roanoke, VA than in Asheville, NC.
- 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 Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by +3.1%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,007 in Roanoke | $103,085 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Roanoke, VA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
78 Strong offer
Roanoke, VA → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
59 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 Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Asheville → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $62,010 | $63,923 (+27.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $121,110 | $124,846 (−7.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $77,240 | $79,623 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $80,090 | $82,561 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.