City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 1.0% higher than in Oklahoma City, OK. Someone earning $100,000 in Oklahoma City, OK would need about $101,000 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 $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 16% in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $267 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Fayetteville, AR.
- 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 Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by +1.0%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,966 in Oklahoma City | $101,045 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $47,230 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$267/yr.
72 Strong offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$267/yr.
66 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 Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Fayetteville → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $48,780 | $49,290 (−19.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $122,390 | $123,669 (+17.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $77,280 | $78,088 (+1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $82,920 | $83,787 (+7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.