City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Longview, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 7.8% higher than in Longview, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in Longview, TX would need about $107,800 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 $1,013 in Longview, TX. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 15% in Longview, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Longview, TX.
- 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 Longview, TX changes real buying power by +7.8%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Longview, TX: price level 89.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Longview, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 89.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,725 in Longview | $107,846 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,013/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $45,150 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Longview, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Longview, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Longview |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 66.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 83.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 89.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Longview, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.8%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
93 Strong offer
Longview, TX → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
46 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Longview, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Longview, TX | Real change, Asheville → Longview |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Longview, TX | Longview pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $149,350 | $98,560 | $106,293 (−28.8%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $106,360 | $114,705 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $75,060 | $80,949 (+0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $80,330 | $86,633 (+6.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.