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What exactly is the rationale of this thread? That Asheville "should not cost $17/hr to live in?" That "it's not worth it?"
That's what $17/hr is today in Asheville. Enough to get by, and save something (if you economize). It's the life I had 30+ years ago, adjusted for inflation.
Spot on, especially for those in a similar position like you were in back in Raleigh making $8.xx per hour 30 years ago, a wage more inline with what you’ll still find in AVL today. Reality check is it’s still $8 to $12 per hour if you’re lucky.
Thinking $17+ now in AVL is the equivalent due to inflation and such is ignorant (on paper maybe?), as is thinking you’ll find an abundant amount of those types of jobs in AVL and BC.
Amazing how everyone complains about the COL and pay in AVL but the only one’s blind to it are a few select forum posters here. Not surprising at all TBH ...
AVL’s the ONLY PLACE we’ve ever seen in our travels that will ask for a BA degree and a few years of relevant experience for a job paying $12 to $15 per hour with little to no benefits, which is just at $30k or well under it.
Why? Because the regions so depressed in regards to pay that anything above the $12 mark is considered “a gift” or “speciality item” for the majority portion of struggling workers living there.
$17+ per hour is wishful thinking for most, and therefore not worth the investment of living there ...
Last edited by VinceTheExplorer; 02-20-2021 at 01:17 PM..
This^^^ also learn a trade, or go into the service. It should be incentive enough not to be beholden to Jeff Bezos for the rest of your life
+1000
Agree to invest in yourself, but Asheville has very little to offer in employment once you end up doing it.
Folks will argue the $17+ LW in 2021 but have zero explanations on why just two short years ago it was $13.xx other than it’s “just the way that it is”.
Remember local restaurants like Blue Mountain Pizza in WV promoting their living wage at the time being $13.50. Bet they won’t be able to now pay out $17+ and rising year over year to their staff.
Last edited by VinceTheExplorer; 02-20-2021 at 02:47 PM..
AVL’s the ONLY PLACE we’ve ever seen in our travels that will ask for a BA degree and a few years of relevant experience for a job paying $12 to $15 per hour with little to no benefits, which is just at $30k or well under it.
Why? Because the regions so depressed in regards to pay that anything above the $12 mark is considered “a gift” or “speciality item” for the majority portion of struggling workers living there.
$17+ per hour is wishful thinking for most, and therefore not worth the investment of living there ...
Are you not aware of the good paying jobs in the Asheville area? There are many people in the medical, educational, trades areas (electrical, plumbing, etc.) making very good 6 figure incomes. If you want to see 'depressed', take a look at the town of Erwin, TN, the town you moved to. It's a shame since it's in a pretty area.
“I’m passing on Atlanta or Raleigh and going to Asheville for that generous six figure salaried position with full benefits package!”
... Said no one in the history of the world. Point being, $17 per hour is a far fetched dream for most workers in the mountains. Everyone with half a brain knows this.
Like to see how many local businesses up their payroll to accommodate $17 per hr LW salaries for their employees, but I already know the answer to that ... none will.
“I’m passing on Atlanta or Raleigh and going to Asheville for that generous six figure salaried position with full benefits package!”
... Said no one in the history of the world. Point being, $17 per hour is a far fetched dream for most workers in the mountains. Everyone with half a brain knows this.
Like to see how many local businesses up their payroll to accommodate $17 per hr LW salaries for their employees, but I already know the answer to that ... none will.
Let's examine the facts (per City-Data):
Median household income: Asheville, NC $52,339 Erwin, TN $37,329
Per capita income: Asheville, NC $32,635 Erwin, TN $22,602
15.4% below the poverty level in Asheville while a whopping 25.9% below the poverty level in Erwin.
I think the OP needs to be concerned about wages/income in his current town. One area Erwin does have Asheville beat is cost of living. Erwin's COL is 82.4 while Asheville's is 94.3. NOTE: Asheville's COL is still less than the national average (100).
Are you not aware of the good paying jobs in the Asheville area? There are many people in the medical, educational, trades areas (electrical, plumbing, etc.) making very good 6 figure incomes. If you want to see 'depressed', take a look at the town of Erwin, TN, the town you moved to. It's a shame since it's in a pretty area.
I work for a medical system in a nonclinical role.
Several years ago, I was looking seriously at Mission Health for positions similar to what I do now. At the time, they were paying 30%-40% more for similar roles compared to what I was making at the time locally.
From what I've heard through the grapevine, a lot of those well-paying Mission corporate jobs are no longer in metro Asheville after the HCA "merger." Those are the kinds of well-paying back office jobs that often get overlooked by the community.
That type of corporate employment is largely missing in AVL.
I work for a medical system in a nonclinical role.
Several years ago, I was looking seriously at Mission Health for positions similar to what I do now. At the time, they were paying 30%-40% more for similar roles compared to what I was making at the time locally.
From what I've heard through the grapevine, a lot of those well-paying Mission corporate jobs are no longer in metro Asheville after the HCA "merger." Those are the kinds of well-paying back office jobs that often get overlooked by the community.
That type of corporate employment is largely missing in AVL.
The privatization of Mission can be and has been debated, but from a corporate perspective, it makes sense that they would centralize some of these positions. Just because the OP says over and over there are not decent paying jobs in Asheville, doesn't make it so (see above statistics in post #27).
The privatization of Mission can be and has been debated, but from a corporate perspective, it makes sense that they would centralize some of these positions. Just because the OP says over and over there are not decent paying jobs in Asheville, doesn't make it so (see above statistics in post #27).
I don't disagree that Erwin has problems. With that said, it's a tiny town and in any meaningful employment is largely in Johnson City, and none of that takes away from Asheville cost of living/wage imbalance.
I work for a medical system in a nonclinical role.
Several years ago, I was looking seriously at Mission Health for positions similar to what I do now. At the time, they were paying 30%-40% more for similar roles compared to what I was making at the time locally.
From what I've heard through the grapevine, a lot of those well-paying Mission corporate jobs are no longer in metro Asheville after the HCA "merger." Those are the kinds of well-paying back office jobs that often get overlooked by the community.
That type of corporate employment is largely missing in AVL.
So the obvious question needs to be asked of why not take a position making up to 40% more (at the time) just over the mountain and down the road? Seems like a no brainer to sell your home in TN and move to an area that affords you more of a paycheck and the “amenities” as you so like to call them.
I believe though that we already know the answer to the question. IT guys are a dime a dozen nowadays (hence their salaries and turnover rates) and are more easily replaced now than ever. Not taking anything away from the work that they do, but when one leaves there’s 1,200 applicants behind them ready for a job.
Anyone who can plug in a patch cable or reset a modem now calls themselves an IT guy, so when you have a cushy job that’s somewhat secure and gives you a paycheck you hold onto it like the winning play of the Super Bowl.
Last edited by VinceTheExplorer; 02-20-2021 at 07:52 PM..
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