City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Durham, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 1.1% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $101,100 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Durham, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +1.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.3% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Durham, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 97.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,105 in Durham | $98,907 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $60,720 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Durham-Chapel Hill, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Durham |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 98.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 97.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Durham, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
65 Fair offer
Durham, NC → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.1%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Durham, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Durham, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Durham, NC | Real change, Asheville → Durham |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Durham, NC | Durham pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $51,400 | $50,838 (+1.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $135,620 | $134,138 (−0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $85,090 | $84,160 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | not published | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.