City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 2.8% higher than in Tallahassee, FL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tallahassee, FL would need about $102,800 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 $1,204 in Tallahassee, FL. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 18% in Tallahassee, FL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Asheville, NC than in Tallahassee, FL.
- 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 Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by +2.8%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,319 in Tallahassee | $102,755 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
77 Strong offer
Tallahassee, FL → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
60 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 Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Asheville → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $55,020 | $56,536 (+12.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $121,800 | $125,155 (−6.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $61,840 | $63,543 (−21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $79,430 | $81,618 (+0.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.