City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Columbus, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 1.1% higher than in Columbus, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Columbus, OH would need about $101,100 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 $1,194 in Columbus, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 19% in Columbus, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.3% moving from Asheville, NC to Columbus, OH ($106,437 → $111,065), while prices change by −1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Columbus, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 95.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,925 in Columbus | $101,086 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,194/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Columbus, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Columbus |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 87.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 95.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 95.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Columbus, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
72 Strong offer
Columbus, OH → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
65 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Columbus, OH is in Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Columbus, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Columbus, OH | Real change, Asheville → Columbus |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,406 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,926 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,400 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,065 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,245 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Columbus, OH | Columbus pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $78,150 | $78,999 (+57.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $122,340 | $123,669 (−8.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $81,700 | $82,587 (+2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $83,900 | $84,811 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.