City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 4.7% higher than in Memphis, TN. Someone earning $100,000 in Memphis, TN would need about $104,700 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 $1,154 in Memphis, TN. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 17% in Memphis, TN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by +4.7%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,516 in Memphis | $104,694 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $46,890 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Memphis, TN
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
83 Strong offer
Memphis, TN → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
55 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Memphis, TN | Real change, Asheville → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $61,510 | $64,397 (+28.6%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $125,580 | $131,475 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $76,960 | $80,573 (+0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $81,500 | $85,326 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.