City comparison
Albany, NY vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Albany, NY are 8.2% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $108,200 in Albany, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,417 a month in Albany, NY versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Albany, NY and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Albany, NY than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.2% moving from Albany, NY to Fayetteville, NC ($109,810 → $111,147), while prices change by −7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.6% in real buying power.
- Albany, NY: price level 99.6 (about average)
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Albany, NY | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 99.6 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,379 in Fayetteville | $108,250 in Albany |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,417/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 23% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $58,460 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY MSA and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Albany | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 102.6 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 134.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 99.6 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Albany, NY → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
95 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Albany, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.6%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
45 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Albany, NY is in the Albany-Schenectady, NY-MA pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Albany, NY to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Albany, NY | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Albany → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,678 | $64,453 | +9.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,045 | $77,983 | +9.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,344 | $93,468 | +9.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,810 | $111,147 | +9.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,763 | $131,342 | +9.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Albany, NY | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Albany dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,240 | $54,350 | $58,834 (−25.8%) |
| Software Developers | $127,910 | $122,900 | $133,039 (+4.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $84,660 | $78,560 | $85,041 (+0.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,970 | $83,060 | $89,912 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.