CostIndexUSA

Asheville, NC vs Wilmington, NC Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostNC
Asheville
96.5
overall index
$1,750/mo rent
NC
Wilmington
96.4
overall index
$1,700/mo rent

Asheville and Wilmington have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing≈ Equal
Asheville
93.4
Wilmington
93.2
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Asheville
96.6
Wilmington
96.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Asheville
103.1
Wilmington
103.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Asheville
93.3
Wilmington
93.3
Utilities0.8%
Asheville
88.6
Wilmington
87.9

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
Equivalent salary in Wilmington, NC
$79,900
$100 less needed in Wilmington

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×

Wilmington, NC

Median Home Price
$432,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
93.2
Price-to-Rent Ratio
21.2×

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

Wilmington, NC

Median Household Income
$76,900
Per Capita Income
$43,800
Unemployment Rate
4.3%
Population
115,451
Top Industries
HealthcareTourismTechnologyEducationMilitary

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)

Wilmington, NC
3.8×income-to-rent ratio

73% 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.