City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Greenville, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 2.1% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $102,100 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,156 a year higher in Greenville, SC than in Fayetteville, AR.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Greenville, SC changes real buying power by −2.0%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Greenville, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 93.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,088 in Greenville | $97,955 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,221/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,580 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Greenville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 76.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 88.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 93.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Greenville, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,156/yr.
62 Fair offer
Greenville, SC → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,156/yr.
75 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Greenville, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Greenville, SC | Real change, Fayetteville → Greenville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Greenville, SC | Greenville pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $60,680 | $59,439 (−2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $121,790 | $119,300 (+13.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $76,870 | $75,298 (−2.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $81,400 | $79,736 (+2.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.