City comparison
Durham, NC vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 6.1% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $106,100 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $111,147 in either. A transfer from Durham, NC to Fayetteville, NC changes real buying power by +6.1%, purely from prices.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,267 in Fayetteville | $106,082 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
88 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
51 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Durham → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,453 | +6.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $77,983 | +6.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,468 | +6.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,147 | +6.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,342 | +6.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $54,350 | $57,656 (+12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $122,900 | $130,375 (−3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $78,560 | $83,338 (−2.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $83,060 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.