City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Boston, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boston, MA are 12.2% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $112,200 in Boston, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,476 a month in Boston, MA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 40% of take-home pay in Boston, MA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Boston, MA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Asheville, NC to Boston, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Boston, MA: price level 108.3 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Boston, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 108.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,186 in Boston | $89,138 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $2,476/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 40% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $66,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Boston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 148.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 103.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 108.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Boston, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 40% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
15 Weak offer
Boston, MA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Boston, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Boston, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Boston, MA | Real change, Asheville → Boston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Boston, MA | Boston pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $98,060 | $87,409 (+74.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $166,090 | $148,049 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $100,150 | $89,272 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $106,180 | $94,647 (+16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.