City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Dayton, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 4.1% higher than in Dayton, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Dayton, OH would need about $104,100 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 $1,009 in Dayton, OH. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 16% in Dayton, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.7% moving from Asheville, NC to Dayton, OH ($106,437 → $110,401), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Dayton, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,050 in Dayton | $104,112 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,009/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,980 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Dayton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 72.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 95.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Dayton, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
82 Strong offer
Dayton, OH → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Dayton, OH is in Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Dayton, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Dayton, OH | Real change, Asheville → Dayton |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,021 | +8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,460 | +8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,841 | +8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,401 | +8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,461 | +8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Dayton, OH | Dayton pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $80,360 | $83,665 (+67.1%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $106,910 | $111,307 (−17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,030 | $82,280 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $82,510 | $85,903 (+5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.