City comparison
Cincinnati, OH vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cincinnati, OH are 4.4% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $104,400 in Cincinnati, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $1,051 in Cincinnati, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 16% in Cincinnati, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,720 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Cincinnati, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.0% moving from Cincinnati, OH to Fayetteville, AR ($110,865 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Cincinnati, OH: price level 95.4 (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
| Cincinnati, OH | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.4 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,788 in Fayetteville | $104,397 in Cincinnati |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,051/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,170 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cincinnati | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.6 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 91.0 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 99.0 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 95.4 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cincinnati, OH → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,720/yr.
82 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Cincinnati, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,720/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Cincinnati, OH is in the Cincinnati-Wilmington-Maysville, OH-KY-IN pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Cincinnati, OH to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cincinnati, OH | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Cincinnati → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,290 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,785 | $74,678 | +0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,231 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,865 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,009 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cincinnati, OH | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Cincinnati dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $64,740 | $61,010 | $63,693 (−1.6%) |
| Software Developers | $121,420 | $105,130 | $109,753 (−9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,640 | $77,190 | $80,584 (−0.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,650 | $77,910 | $81,336 (−2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.