City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Asheville, NC (96.5) and Rochester, NY (97.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Asheville, NC goes as far as $100,500 in Rochester, NY.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,256 in Rochester, NY. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 20% in Rochester, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.7% moving from Asheville, NC to Rochester, NY ($106,437 → $107,182), while prices change by +0.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,548 in Rochester | $99,455 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Rochester, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
67 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
70 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Rochester, NY | Real change, Asheville → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,155 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,202 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,135 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,182 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,657 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $62,840 | $62,497 (+24.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,770 | $122,101 (−9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $80,890 | $80,449 (+0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $86,570 | $86,098 (+5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.