PlainRelocate

Relocation profile · Federal data

Asheville, NC

LiveAbility 46.8/100 places Asheville #262 of 387 (bottom third of scored metros).

96.5
Cost index (US=100)
$1,567
2BR rent / mo
$64,349
Median salary
46.8
LiveAbility Score

The verdict

As of June 2026, Asheville ranks #262 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (46.8/100), with its strongest marks in safety and climate.

#262
of 387 US metros · Near median
11,046,024
metro-area population
365
violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
2,703
schools in the state (NCES)

Weakest dimension: housing (27/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.

According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Asheville ranks #262 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 96.5 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $1,567/mo, median salary $64,349; LiveAbility Score 46.8/100, strongest in safety and climate.

Signature: LiveAbility 46.8/100 places Asheville #262 of 387 (bottom third of scored metros).

Purchasing power sits mid-band: BEA RPP 96.5 between corpus terciles 91.5 and 97.0. Median 2BR rent $1,567/mo.

LiveAbility 46.8/100 puts Asheville in the bottom third (#262 of 387).

BLS OEWS total employment in the Asheville area is 172,630.

Asheville vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score

Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)

47 Top 68% higher than 32% of 387 US metros

Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026

Asheville housing and rent

HUD Fair Market Rents for the Asheville MSA; housing RPP 93.4 (100 = national average); 2BR $1,567/mo.

Studio
$1,227
/month
1 Bedroom
$1,429
/month
2 Bedroom
$1,567
/month
3 Bedroom
$1,905
/month
4 Bedroom
$2,629
/month

Asheville wages and employment

Asheville posts 172,630 total employment with median salary $64,349.

Median Salary
$64,349
Mean Salary
$67,916
Total Employment
172,630

Top Occupations by Employment

Occupation Median Salary
Retail Salespersons $34,110
Registered Nurses $81,590
Cashiers $29,400
Stockers and Order Fillers $37,120
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,810

Schools & Education

State-level education data for the Asheville area from NCES.

Schools
2,703
Enrollment
1,544,406
Student:Teacher
15.8:1
Title I %
0%

Childcare Costs

State-average childcare costs for the Asheville area (DOL data).

Infant (Center)
$9,487
per year
Toddler (Center)
$7,856
per year
Preschool (Center)
$6,548
per year

Life Score Breakdown

Asheville's composite Life Score is 49.5/100 (D), computed across 7 of 7 dimensions.

Cost
35/100
Below average
Wages
44/100
Below average
Rent
27/100
Weak
Crime
96/100
Elite
Schools
58/100
Above average
Childcare
61/100
Above average
Environment
33/100
Weak

LiveAbility Score

View full rankings →

Asheville ranks #262 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 46.8/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →

Strongest dimension: Safety (96/100)

Asheville - dimension scores

Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)

score

What this shows Asheville's strongest dimensions are safety and climate; its weakest among scored dims is housing at 27/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.

Source BEA · BLS · HUD · FBI · NCES · EPA · NOAA · FEMA As of Federal data, latest available vintage

Compare Asheville to

Kingston Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh Knoxville Kokomo La Crosse-Onalaska Lafayette

Metros near Asheville on cost, LiveAbility, or wages

Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Asheville on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.

Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)

Similar LiveAbility score

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Asheville cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Asheville wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.

Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →

Thinking about Asheville?

Asheville runs a $64,349 median salary at a 96.5 cost index, ranking #262 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.

  • See exactly what Asheville's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
  • Put Asheville head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Asheville
  • Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
  • A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide

Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.