City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Olympia, WA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Olympia, WA are 7.4% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $107,400 in Olympia, WA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,682 a month in Olympia, WA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Olympia, WA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Olympia, WA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.4% moving from Asheville, NC to Olympia, WA ($106,437 → $119,630), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Olympia, WA: price level 103.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Olympia, WA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 103.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,423 in Olympia | $93,090 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,682/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (WA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $61,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Seattle-Tacoma, WA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 116.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 91.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.5 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 103.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Olympia, WA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
46 Fair offer
Olympia, WA → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Olympia, WA is in Seattle-Tacoma, WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Olympia, WA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Olympia, WA | Real change, Asheville → Olympia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,373 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $83,935 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,602 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $119,630 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,367 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Olympia, WA | Olympia pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $104,650 | $97,418 (+94.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $124,060 | $115,487 (−14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $94,470 | $87,942 (+9.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $125,020 | $116,381 (+42.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.