City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Knoxville, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Knoxville, TN are 1.3% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,300 in Knoxville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,184 a month in Knoxville, TN versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Knoxville, TN and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Knoxville, TN.
- 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 Knoxville, TN changes real buying power by −1.3%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Knoxville, TN: price level 92.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Knoxville, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 92.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,331 in Knoxville | $98,686 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,184/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $47,080 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Knoxville, TN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Knoxville, TN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Knoxville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 82.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 71.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.1 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 92.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Knoxville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
65 Fair offer
Knoxville, TN → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
73 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 Knoxville, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Knoxville, TN | Real change, Fayetteville → Knoxville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $61,980 | $61,166 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $121,750 | $120,151 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $75,380 | $74,390 (−3.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $77,240 | $76,225 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.