City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Lafayette, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 4.8% higher than in Lafayette, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Lafayette, LA would need about $104,800 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 $898 in Lafayette, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 14% in Lafayette, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,074 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Lafayette, LA.
- 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 Lafayette, LA changes real buying power by +4.8%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Lafayette, LA: price level 87.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Lafayette, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 87.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,464 in Lafayette | $104,752 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $898/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $41,780 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Lafayette, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 58.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 71.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 87.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Lafayette, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax −$1,074/yr.
84 Strong offer
Lafayette, LA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,074/yr.
55 Fair 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 Lafayette, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Lafayette, LA | Real change, Fayetteville → Lafayette |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Lafayette, LA | Lafayette pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $47,770 | $50,040 (−18.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $109,010 | $114,190 (+8.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $67,630 | $70,844 (−8.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $81,960 | $85,855 (+10.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.