City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Asheville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 3.6% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $103,600 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,341 in Allentown, PA. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 21% in Allentown, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $411 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Asheville, NC ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −12.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Asheville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 96.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,537 in Asheville | $103,587 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,429/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $46,870 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Asheville, NC MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Asheville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Asheville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 93.4 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 88.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 96.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$411/yr.
80 Strong offer
Asheville, NC → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$411/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Asheville, NC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Asheville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Asheville, NC | Real change, Allentown → Asheville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −12.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −12.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −12.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −12.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −12.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Asheville, NC | Asheville pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $50,080 | $51,877 (−34.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $134,350 | $139,170 (+13.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $80,400 | $83,284 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $81,590 | $84,517 (−16.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.