City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 5.0% higher than in Omaha, NE. Someone earning $100,000 in Omaha, NE would need about $105,000 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 $1,148 in Omaha, NE. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 18% in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Asheville, NC to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by −4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,239 in Omaha | $104,999 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Omaha, NE
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$189/yr.
84 Strong offer
Omaha, NE → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$189/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Omaha, NE | Real change, Asheville → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +6.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +6.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +6.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +6.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +6.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $62,670 | $65,803 (+31.4%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $125,220 | $131,480 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $77,030 | $80,881 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $84,600 | $88,829 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.