City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Eugene, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Eugene, OR are 5.2% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $105,200 in Eugene, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,429 a month in Asheville, NC versus $1,286 in Eugene, OR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 22% in Eugene, OR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Eugene, OR than in Asheville, NC.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Asheville, NC to Eugene, OR changes real buying power by −5.0%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Eugene, OR: price level 101.6 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Eugene, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 101.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,245 in Eugene | $95,016 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,286/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Eugene-Springfield, OR MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Eugene-Springfield, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Eugene |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 98.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 102.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 101.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Eugene, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
53 Fair offer
Eugene, OR → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Eugene, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Eugene, OR | Real change, Asheville → Eugene |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Eugene, OR | Eugene pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $64,260 | $61,057 (+21.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $121,050 | $115,017 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,930 | $75,946 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $113,720 | $108,052 (+32.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.