City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 3.8% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $103,800 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.1% moving from Columbus, OH to Fayetteville, NC ($111,065 → $111,147), while prices change by −3.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,343 in Fayetteville | $103,795 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
81 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.7%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
57 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Columbus → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $64,453 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $77,983 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $93,468 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $111,147 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $131,342 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $54,350 | $56,413 (−27.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $122,900 | $127,565 (+4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $78,560 | $81,542 (−0.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $83,060 | $86,213 (+2.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.