City comparison
Augusta, GA vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Augusta, GA (91.9) and Fayetteville, NC (92.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Augusta, GA goes as far as $100,100 in Fayetteville, NC.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,114 a month in Augusta, GA and $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,086 a year higher in Augusta, GA than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Augusta, GA to Fayetteville, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +0.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Augusta, GA: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Augusta, GA | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.9 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,082 in Fayetteville | $99,918 in Augusta |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,114/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,613 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,567 (GA) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,990 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Augusta | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 70.6 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.5 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.5 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.9 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Augusta, GA → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,086/yr.
68 Fair offer
Fayetteville, NC → Augusta, GA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,086/yr.
69 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Augusta, GA is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Augusta, GA to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Augusta, GA | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Augusta → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Augusta, GA | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Augusta dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,000 | $54,350 | $54,306 (−13.8%) |
| Software Developers | $119,780 | $122,900 | $122,800 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,710 | $78,560 | $78,496 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $87,760 | $83,060 | $82,992 (−5.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.