Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Asheville, NC
VS
St. George, UT
🏆 St. George leads 15 of 22 categories
Asheville
North Carolina
7
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1
Median Household Income
$63,810
Violent Crime Index
210⚠ High
Population
93,695
St. George
Utah
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
96.1
Median Household Income
$69,333 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
55 ✓ Safer
Population
96,174 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Asheville, NC
Pros
More college-educated — 51.2% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 86°F vs 102°F
Homes cost $38k less ($376,800 vs $415,200)
Rent averages $85/mo less ($1,250 vs $1,335)
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
Higher unemployment (4.1% vs 3.3%)
Median income trails St. George by $5,523/yr
St. George, UT
Pros
74% less violent crime than Asheville
Violent crime is well below the national average (210.0 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (3.3%)
Households earn $5,523 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 48°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $415,200
Hot summers — July highs average 102°F
Higher rents — median is $1,335/mo
Key Differences at a Glance
Asheville
Median Home Value
$38k less
$376,800 vs $415,200
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 96.1 on the COL index
St. George
Median Income
$5,523
$69,333 vs $63,810/yr
St. George
Violent Crime
74% lower
210.0 vs 796.1 per 100k
St. George
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
3.3% vs 4.1% unemployment
St. George
Summer Heat
16.0°F warmer
July avg high 101.9°F vs 85.9°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Asheville, NC | St. George, UT |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 96.1 | 96.1 |
| Median Home Value | $376,800⚠ High ✓ Lower | $415,200⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,250 ✓ Lower | $1,335⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $63,810 | $69,333 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1%⚠ High | 3.3% ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 17.7 min | 16.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 16.6% ✓ Higher | 13.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 200⚠ High | 52 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 210⚠ High | 55 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 185⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (116) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 23.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.2% ✓ Higher | 32.6% |
| High School or Higher | 93.4% | 94.3% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Buncombe County Schools | Washington District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.7°F | 54.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 85.9°F | 101.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.8" | 9.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 11.5" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 93,695 | 96,174 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 40.5 ✓ Older | 37.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 50.0% | 67.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.7% | 25.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 19.6% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Asheville's cost of living index is 96.1 vs St. George's 96.1 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, St. George leads 15 of 22 categories. Asheville wins 7 and St. George wins 15. 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 St. George or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($376,800 vs $415,200 median home), income ($63,810 vs $69,333), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Asheville, NC and St. George, UT are about 1,723 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.