City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Bridgeport, CT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 10.7% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $110,700 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $444 a year higher in Bridgeport, CT than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +17.8% moving from Asheville, NC to Bridgeport, CT ($106,437 → $125,431), while prices change by +10.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.4% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Bridgeport, CT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 106.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $110,733 in Bridgeport | $90,307 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $2,100/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,255 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,925 (CT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 33% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $61,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 150.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 147.1 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 102.7 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 106.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.7%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$444/yr.
26 Weak offer
Bridgeport, CT → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$444/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Bridgeport, CT is in New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Bridgeport, CT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Bridgeport, CT | Real change, Asheville → Bridgeport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $72,737 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $88,005 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $105,481 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $125,431 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $148,222 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Bridgeport, CT | Bridgeport pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $98,600 | $89,043 (+77.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $162,650 | $146,885 (+9.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $102,020 | $92,132 (+14.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $105,660 | $95,419 (+16.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.