City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Omaha, 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 Omaha, NE (91.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR goes as far as $100,600 in Omaha, NE.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,148 in Omaha, NE.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.4% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,611 in Omaha | $99,393 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,148/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% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Omaha, NE
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
67 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Omaha, NE | Real change, Fayetteville → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | +0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | +0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | +0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | +0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | +0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $62,670 | $62,290 (+2.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $125,220 | $124,460 (+18.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $77,030 | $76,562 (−0.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $84,600 | $84,086 (+7.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.