City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 7.2% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $107,200 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 $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,268 in MS.
- 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 Gulfport, MS changes real buying power by +7.2%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,265 in Gulfport | $107,222 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
91 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
48 Fair 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 Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Asheville → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $50,820 | $54,490 (+8.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $104,240 | $111,768 (−16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $76,380 | $81,896 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $78,960 | $84,662 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.