Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Asheville, NC
VS
Provo, UT
🏆 Asheville leads 14 of 23 categories
Asheville
North Carolina
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1
Median Household Income
$63,810 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
93,695
Provo
Utah
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.8 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$57,943
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
114,400 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Asheville, NC
Pros
Households earn $5,867 more per year on average
More college-educated — 51.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 95°F
Milder winters — January highs near 48°F vs 41°F
Smaller class sizes — 15.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (796.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3895.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Provo, UT
Pros
74% less violent crime than Asheville
Violent crime is well below the national average (206.6 vs 380/100k)
Rent averages $161/mo less ($1,089 vs $1,250)
Cons
Median income trails Asheville by $5,867/yr
Snowy winters — about 45" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Asheville
Median Income
$5,867
$63,810 vs $57,943/yr
Asheville
Median Home Value
$15k less
$376,800 vs $391,500
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 96.1 on the COL index
Provo
Violent Crime
74% lower
206.6 vs 796.1 per 100k
Provo
Summer Heat
9.3°F warmer
July avg high 95.2°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Asheville, NC | Provo, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.1 | 95.8 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $376,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $391,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,250 | $1,089 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,810 ✓ Higher | $57,943 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 4.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.7 min ✓ Shorter | 18.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 12.5% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 57 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 210⚠ High | 54 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 185⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.9:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.2% ✓ Higher | 44.4% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% ✓ Higher | 92.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Buncombe County Schools | Provo District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.7°F ✓ Warmer | 41.2°F |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 95.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.8" | 17.2" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.5" ✓ Less | 44.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 93,695 | 114,400 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.5 ✓ Older | 23.6 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.0% ✓ Higher | 39.1% |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 18.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.6% ✓ More | 6.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Asheville's cost of living index is 96.1 vs Provo's 95.8 (US average = 100).
Provo is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Asheville leads 14 of 23 categories. Asheville wins 14 and Provo wins 9. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Asheville to Provo or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($376,800 vs $391,500 median home), income ($63,810 vs $57,943), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Asheville, NC and Provo, UT are about 1,611 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.