City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Lincoln, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, AR (91.4) and Lincoln, NE (91.6, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR goes as far as $100,200 in Lincoln, NE.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $926 in Lincoln, NE. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 15% in Lincoln, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,670 in NE.
- 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 Lincoln, NE changes real buying power by −0.2%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Lincoln, NE: price level 91.6 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Lincoln, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 91.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,250 in Lincoln | $99,751 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $49,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Lincoln, NE HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Lincoln, NE.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Lincoln |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 84.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 76.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 91.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Lincoln, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
68 Fair offer
Lincoln, NE → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
70 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 Lincoln, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Lincoln, NE | Real change, Fayetteville → Lincoln |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $61,940 | $61,786 (+1.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $101,690 | $101,437 (−3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $65,170 | $65,008 (−15.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $87,530 | $87,312 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.