City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 1.9% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,900 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $1,047 in Louisville, KY. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 17% in Louisville, KY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $305 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Louisville, KY.
- 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 Louisville, KY changes real buying power by −1.8%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,884 in Louisville | $98,151 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Louisville, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$305/yr.
63 Fair offer
Louisville, KY → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$305/yr.
75 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 Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Louisville, KY | Real change, Fayetteville → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $61,610 | $60,471 (−0.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $110,270 | $108,231 (+2.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $76,320 | $74,909 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $84,850 | $83,281 (+6.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.