City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 4.8% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $104,800 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $767 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.9% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Indianapolis, IN ($106,437 → $107,428), while prices change by +4.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,754 in Indianapolis | $95,462 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$767/yr.
55 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$767/yr.
84 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Fayetteville → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,297 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,374 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,341 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,428 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,947 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $60,510 | $57,764 (−5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $106,870 | $102,020 (−3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $79,290 | $75,692 (−1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $84,230 | $80,407 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.