Asheville Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Asheville, NC: $22.53/hr median hourly wage, $46,870 median annual salary, cost of living index 105, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and North Carolina taxes.
Asheville Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Asheville, NC is $22.53/hr,and the median annual wage is $46,870. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.97/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $31.99/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Asheville, NC metropolitan statistical area (180,620 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Asheville shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$46,870
$22.53/hr
Cost of Living
105
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
3%
rate
Asheville, NC Overview
Population
94,067
Median Salary
$46,870
Average Salary
$60,490
Avg Commute
20 min
Median Home Price
$380,000
Median Rent
$1,350/mo
Job Growth
+2%
Sales Tax
7%
Asheville is located in North Carolina with a population of 94,067. The median annual wage across all occupations is $46,870 ($22.53/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Asheville, NC metro), which is $4,110 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 20 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2%.
Asheville Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Asheville, NC built around the $46,870 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Asheville, NC metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $29,059 | $13.97/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $46,870 | $22.53/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $66,555 | $31.99/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $83,429 | $40.10/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Asheville Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Asheville, NC, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$38,479
$3,206.55/month · $1,479.95/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.9%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,479.95 take-home per paycheck after estimated North Carolina and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$46,870
Federal Tax
-$3,444
State Tax
-$1,361
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,586
Net Pay
$38,479
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,905.83 | $46,870.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$287.03 | -$3,444.40 |
| North Carolina State Tax (2.90% eff.) | -$113.45 | -$1,361.39 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$242.16 | -$2,905.94 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$56.63 | -$679.62 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,206.55 | $38,478.66 |
Salary Comparison: Asheville vs Other Cities
See how Asheville's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asheville, NC | $46,870 | 105 | $44,638 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Shawnee, OK | $46,886 | 82.6 | $56,763 |
| Southaven, MS | $46,890 | 88 | $53,284 |
| Memphis, TN | $46,890 | 86 | $54,523 |
| Bartlett, TN | $46,890 | 97.1 | $48,290 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Asheville
Asheville's cost of living index is 105 (national average = 100). Living in Asheville is 5% more expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$380,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,350
Annual Rent Cost
$16,200
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $38,479 annual take-home pay in Asheville has the purchasing power of approximately $36,646 in an average-cost US area. You would need to earn $49,214 in Asheville to match a $46,870 salary in an average-cost city.
Top Industries in Asheville
Asheville's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $46,870.
Salary Tips for Asheville Workers
- Research top industries. Asheville's top industries include Tourism, Healthcare, Technology. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $46,870 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Job Salaries in Asheville, NC
Browse occupation-specific salaries for Asheville. Figures marked BLS are the BLS OEWS May 2025 median annual wage for that occupation in the Asheville, NC metro area (70 of 340); the rest are Salario estimates adjusted for Asheville's cost of living. Each page connects the benchmark with local take-home pay and market context.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Asheville salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Asheville, NC metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Asheville indexed at 105.
- Median salary: $46,870 annual, $22.53 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Asheville, NC MSA (180,620 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $60,490 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Asheville was $55,000.
- Tax burden reflects North Carolina 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3.99%) (no local income tax), sales tax (7%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Asheville: 3%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Tourism, Healthcare, Technology, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for North Carolina.
- Housing context: median home price $380,000, median rent $1,350/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Asheville, NC:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Asheville unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Asheville QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, North Carolina, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Asheville's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent North Carolina labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Asheville, NC?
The median hourly wage in Asheville, NC is $22.53 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Asheville, NC metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $46,870. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.97/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $31.99/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Asheville, NC?
The median salary in Asheville, NC is $46,870 per year, or $22.53 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Asheville, NC metro area). The BLS mean salary is $60,490. This is $4,110 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Asheville, NC?
Asheville's cost of living index is 105 (national average = 100), meaning it is 5% more expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $380,000 and the median monthly rent is $1,350.
What are the best industries in Asheville?
The top industries in Asheville, NC include Tourism, Healthcare, Technology. The city has a job growth rate of 2% and an unemployment rate of 3%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $46,870.
How does Asheville's salary compare to other cities?
Asheville's median salary of $46,870 is 8.1% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 105), the real purchasing power is approximately $44,638.
What is the minimum wage in Asheville, NC?
The minimum wage in Asheville, NC is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.