City profile
Asheville, NC cost of living
NC · BLS RPP 94.8
Overall RPP
94.8
US = 100
Housing RPP
83.9
Housing component
Goods RPP
95.8
Goods component
2-BR Rent (HUD)
$1,680/mo
FY2024 FMR
Where Asheville, NC sits in the verified metro set
RPP rank
#46 of 67
-5.2 vs U.S. average
Vs median metro
-3.6
median RPP 98.4
2-BR rent rank
#27 of 67
+74/mo vs median verified metro
RPP ranks use only verified ReloMath metro records. Sources: BEA Regional Price Parities by MSA, 2022 (Table 4); HUD FY2024 Fair Market Rents (2-BR); reviewed June 2026. These are official published averages, not neighborhood-level prices.
Who’s moving in and out of Asheville, NC
IRS tax-return migration · 2021-2022Cost of living is only half the relocation question. The other half is which way people are actually voting with their feet, straight from IRS tax-return migration for the Asheville, NC metro.
Moved in
24,300
people · 15,211 households
Moved out
20,664
people · 12,863 households
Net
+3,636
net gain of residents
Net migration rank
#22 of 65
among IRS-covered ReloMath metros
Vs median net flow
+3,740
median -104 people
Largest flow share
2% in / 4% out
top named county shares
Where new residents came from
- Haywood County, NC 591
- Mecklenburg County, NC 487
- Wake County, NC 448
- Transylvania County, NC 384
- Greenville County, SC 296
Where residents moved to
- Haywood County, NC 758
- Spartanburg County, SC 642
- Greenville County, SC 597
- McDowell County, NC 517
- Mecklenburg County, NC 464
Counts are IRS tax filers (returns ≈ households, individuals ≈ exemptions) who changed address between 2021-2022. Flows too small for IRS to disclose are grouped and excluded from the named lists. Source: IRS SOI county-to-county migration data ↗, mapped to metros via the U.S. Census CBSA delineation.
What salary do you need in Asheville, NC?
Equivalent salary to maintain the same purchasing power as in a US-average city (RPP 100).
| In US-average city | You need in Asheville, NC | Formula |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $47,400 | $50,000 x (94.8/100) |
| $75,000 | $71,100 | $75,000 x (94.8/100) |
| $100,000 | $94,800 | $100,000 x (94.8/100) |
| $125,000 | $118,500 | $125,000 x (94.8/100) |
| $150,000 | $142,200 | $150,000 x (94.8/100) |
| $200,000 | $189,600 | $200,000 x (94.8/100) |
This tool provides estimates only. Equivalent-salary figures are derived from BLS Regional Price Parities (RPP) and HUD Fair Market Rents — they are averages, not guarantees. Actual cost of living varies by neighborhood, lifestyle, and individual circumstances. Not financial advice.
State income tax note
North Carolina flat income tax 4.5%.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the cost of living in Asheville, NC?
- Asheville, NC has a BLS Regional Price Parity of 94.8 (US average = 100). It is 5.2% less expensive than the national average.
- What salary do I need to live in Asheville, NC?
- If you earn $100,000 in a US-average city (RPP 100), you would need approximately $94,800 in Asheville, NC to maintain the same purchasing power.
- What is the average rent in Asheville, NC?
- The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Asheville, NC is approximately $1,680 per month as of FY2024.
- Are people moving to or away from Asheville, NC?
- Based on IRS tax-return migration data for 2021-2022, about 24,300 people moved into the Asheville, NC metro and 20,664 moved out — a net gain of roughly 3,636 residents. The largest single source of new residents was Haywood County, NC.
Curated nearby & similar cities
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These links are chosen by data proximity: closest overall RPP to Asheville, NC, with HUD 2-BR rent as a tie-breaker.
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