City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 1.4% higher than in Asheville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Asheville, NC would need about $101,400 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,429 in Asheville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 23% in Asheville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,455 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Asheville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Asheville, NC to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +1.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.0% in real buying power.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,401 in Richmond | $98,618 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Richmond, VA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,455/yr.
64 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Asheville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,455/yr.
73 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Asheville, NC is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Asheville, NC to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Richmond, VA | Real change, Asheville → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | +3.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | +3.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | +3.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | +3.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | +3.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $61,290 | $60,443 (+20.7%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $132,120 | $130,295 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $84,220 | $83,056 (+3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $93,580 | $92,287 (+13.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.