CostIndexUSA

Asheville, NC vs Bangor, ME Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNC
Asheville
96.5
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
ME
Bangor
96.5
overall index
$1,550/mo rent

Asheville and Bangor have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing16.8%
Asheville
93.4
Bangor
77.7
🛒 Groceries+0.6%
Asheville
96.6
Bangor
97.2
🚗 Transportation+5.1%
Asheville
103.1
Bangor
108.4
🏥 Healthcare+5.0%
Asheville
93.3
Bangor
98
Utilities+52.1%
Asheville
88.6
Bangor
134.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Asheville to see what you'd need to earn in Bangor to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Bangor, ME
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (96.5 ÷ 96.5) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Asheville, NC

Median Home Price
$413,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,750
Housing Index
93.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
19.7×

Bangor, ME

Median Home Price
$265,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
77.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.2×

Asheville has 16.8% lower housing costs compared to Bangor.

Income & Job Market

Asheville, NC

Median Household Income
$67,800
Per Capita Income
$38,600
Unemployment Rate
3.1%
Population
92,452
Top Industries
TourismHealthcareTechnologyArtsManufacturing

Bangor, ME

Median Household Income
$66,300
Per Capita Income
$37,800
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Population
31,753
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationRetailManufacturingGovernment

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Asheville, NC
3.2×income-to-rent ratio

69% of income left after rent (median)

Bangor, ME
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

72% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.