City comparison
Boise City, ID vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Boise City, ID are 7.7% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $107,700 in Boise City, ID to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,381 a month in Boise City, ID versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Boise City, ID and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $504 a year higher in Boise City, ID than in Fayetteville, AR.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Boise City, ID to Fayetteville, AR changes real buying power by +7.7%, purely from prices.
- Boise City, ID: price level 98.4 (about average)
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Boise City, ID | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.4 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,847 in Fayetteville | $107,704 in Boise City |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,381/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,988 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,192 (ID) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 22% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,100 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Boise City, ID HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Boise City, ID and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Boise City | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.6 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 70.7 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 98.4 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Boise City, ID → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$504/yr.
93 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Boise City, ID
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$504/yr.
46 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Boise City, ID to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Boise City, ID | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Boise City → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Boise City, ID | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Boise City dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,230 | $61,010 | $65,710 (+7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $131,590 | $105,130 | $113,229 (−14.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,700 | $77,190 | $83,137 (+8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,880 | $77,910 | $83,912 (−14.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.