City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Hickory, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 3.2% higher than in Hickory, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Hickory, NC would need about $103,200 in Fayetteville, AR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $908 in Hickory, NC. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 14% in Hickory, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.2% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Hickory, NC ($106,437 → $108,810), while prices change by −3.1%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.5% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Hickory, NC: price level 88.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Hickory, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 88.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,862 in Hickory | $103,240 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $908/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Hickory |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 59.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 88.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Hickory, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
79 Strong offer
Hickory, NC → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
59 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Hickory, NC is in Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Hickory, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Hickory, NC | Real change, Fayetteville → Hickory |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,098 | +5.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,343 | +5.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,503 | +5.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,810 | +5.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,581 | +5.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Hickory, NC | Hickory pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $49,540 | $51,145 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $122,540 | $126,510 (+20.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $77,490 | $80,001 (+3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $80,060 | $82,654 (+6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.