City comparison
Ann Arbor, MI vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ann Arbor, MI are 9.7% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $109,700 in Ann Arbor, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,387 a month in Ann Arbor, MI versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Ann Arbor, MI and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $518 a year higher in Ann Arbor, MI than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −5.3% moving from Ann Arbor, MI to Fayetteville, NC ($117,402 → $111,147), while prices change by −8.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.8% in real buying power.
- Ann Arbor, MI: price level 100.9 (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
| Ann Arbor, MI | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,176 in Fayetteville | $109,678 in Ann Arbor |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,387/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,380 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Ann Arbor, MI MSA and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Ann Arbor, MI and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Ann Arbor | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.3 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 98.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 100.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Ann Arbor, MI → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$518/yr.
99 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Ann Arbor, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$518/yr.
41 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Ann Arbor, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Ann Arbor, MI to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Ann Arbor, MI | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Ann Arbor → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $64,453 | +3.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $77,983 | +3.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $93,468 | +3.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $111,147 | +3.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $131,342 | +3.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Ann Arbor, MI | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Ann Arbor dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,060 | $54,350 | $59,610 (−6.9%) |
| Software Developers | $126,830 | $122,900 | $134,795 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,040 | $78,560 | $86,163 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $103,450 | $83,060 | $91,099 (−11.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.