City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Pittsburgh, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pittsburgh, PA are 3.6% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $103,600 in Pittsburgh, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,077 in Pittsburgh, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Pittsburgh, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.4% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Pittsburgh, PA ($106,437 → $110,047), while prices change by +3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.2% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Pittsburgh, PA: price level 94.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Pittsburgh, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 94.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,632 in Pittsburgh | $96,495 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,077/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $49,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Pittsburgh, PA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Pittsburgh, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 72.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 107.7 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 94.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Pittsburgh, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
58 Fair offer
Pittsburgh, PA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
80 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Pittsburgh, PA is in Pittsburgh-New Castle-Weirton, PA-OH-WV. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Pittsburgh, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Pittsburgh, PA | Real change, Fayetteville → Pittsburgh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,815 | −0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,211 | −0.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $92,543 | −0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $110,047 | −0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $130,042 | −0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Pittsburgh, PA | Pittsburgh pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $76,550 | $73,867 (+21.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $124,500 | $120,137 (+14.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $76,940 | $74,243 (−3.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $82,370 | $79,483 (+2.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.