City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 9.2% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $109,200 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Asheville, NC to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +9.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,238 in Portland | $91,543 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
37 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Asheville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
98 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Portland, OR | Real change, Asheville → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $82,330 | $75,368 (+50.5%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $156,000 | $142,808 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $92,200 | $84,403 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $130,310 | $119,290 (+46.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.