City comparison
Crestview, FL vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Crestview, FL are 5.5% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $105,500 in Crestview, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,581 a month in Crestview, FL versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Crestview, FL and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Crestview, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Crestview, FL to Fayetteville, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by −5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +10.2% in real buying power.
- Crestview, FL: price level 97.0 (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
| Crestview, FL | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.0 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,792 in Fayetteville | $105,494 in Crestview |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,581/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,510 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Crestview | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.9 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.0 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Crestview, FL → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
86 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Crestview, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Crestview, FL 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 Crestview, FL to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Crestview, FL | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Crestview → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | +10.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | +10.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | +10.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | +10.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | +10.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Crestview, FL | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Crestview dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,330 | $54,350 | $57,336 (−5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $130,640 | $122,900 | $129,652 (−0.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,510 | $78,560 | $82,876 (+4.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,260 | $83,060 | $87,623 (+7.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.