CostIndexUSA

Asheville, NC vs Missoula, MT Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNC
Asheville
96.5
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
MT
Missoula
96.4
overall index
$1,550/mo rent

Asheville and Missoula have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+1.6%
Asheville
93.4
Missoula
94.9
🛒 Groceries0.6%
Asheville
96.6
Missoula
96
🚗 Transportation+0.6%
Asheville
103.1
Missoula
103.7
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Asheville
93.3
Missoula
93.8
Utilities18.6%
Asheville
88.6
Missoula
72.1

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Missoula, MT
$79,900
$100 less needed in Missoula

Formula: salary × (96.4 ÷ 96.5) = salary × 0.9990. 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×

Missoula, MT

Median Home Price
$552,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,550
Housing Index
94.9
Price-to-Rent Ratio
29.7×

Missoula has 1.6% higher housing costs compared to Asheville.

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

Missoula, MT

Median Household Income
$73,300
Per Capita Income
$41,800
Unemployment Rate
2.5%
Population
73,489
Top Industries
EducationHealthcareTourismGovernmentRetail

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)

Missoula, MT
3.9×income-to-rent ratio

75% 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.