City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 6.6% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $106,600 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,687 in AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.2% moving from Charlotte, NC to Fayetteville, AR ($108,810 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.2% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- 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
| Charlotte, NC | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,842 in Fayetteville | $106,562 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
89 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
50 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Charlotte → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $61,722 | +4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $74,678 | +4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $89,508 | +4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $106,437 | +4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $125,776 | +4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $61,010 | $65,014 (+10.8%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $105,130 | $112,029 (−17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $77,190 | $82,256 (−11.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $77,910 | $83,023 (−8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.