Asheville vs Charlottesville
The short version
- Asheville is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 3% lower than in the Charlottesville area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $440,000 in Asheville and $486,700 in Charlottesville.
- Asheville has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 44°F.
- Asheville is growing faster: -1.3% since 2020 vs -4.6%.
Side by side
| Asheville, NC | Charlottesville, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 93,523 | 44,388 |
| Growth since 2020 | -1.3% | -4.6% |
| People per square mile | 2,056 | 4,333 |
| Median age | 40.7 | 33.1 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 53% | 63% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $71,102 | $74,824 |
| Median home value | $440,000 | $486,700 |
| Home value to income | 6.2× | 6.5× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,402 | $1,540 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 96.5 | 99.1 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 93.4 | 107.0 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $72,400 | $74,400 |
| Homeowners | 52% | 44% |
| Top state income tax | 3.99% | 5.75% |
| Combined sales tax | 7.1% | 5.77% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.2 | 17.0 |
| Work from home | 20% | 21% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 6% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% | 19.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 29° | 44° / 28° |
| July high / low | 86° / 65° | 84° / 68° |
| Precipitation per year | 41 in | 48 in |
| Snowfall per year | 12 in | 17 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 16 | 10 |
| Nights below freezing | 77 | 73 |
| Comfortable months | 7 | 4 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Very Low |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 89.3 | 24.3 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 70% | 81% |
| Home prices, past year | +1.4% | +3% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +45.3% | +46.9% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Asheville: April to October. Charlottesville: April, June, August and October.
Full monthly tables: Asheville weather by month and Charlottesville weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $72,400 in Asheville and $74,400 in Charlottesville. Moving from Asheville to Charlottesville, you would need about $77,100 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
One vote per person. Results show after you vote.