City comparison
Asheville, NC vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Asheville, NC are 8.5% higher than in Wichita, KS. Someone earning $100,000 in Wichita, KS would need about $108,500 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 $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Asheville, NC and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Wichita, KS than in Asheville, NC.
- 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +8.5%, purely from prices.
- Asheville, NC: price level 96.5 (cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 96.5 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,166 in Wichita | $108,500 in Asheville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,429/mo | $849/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,870 | $47,630 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Asheville, NC MSA and Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Asheville, NC and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Asheville | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 93.4 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 88.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 96.5 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Asheville, NC → Wichita, KS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
95 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Asheville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
44 Weak 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Asheville, NC | Wichita, KS | Real change, Asheville → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Asheville, NC | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Asheville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,080 | $58,640 | $63,624 (+27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $134,350 | $105,980 | $114,988 (−14.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,400 | $79,270 | $86,008 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,590 | $76,540 | $83,046 (+1.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.