City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Providence, RI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Providence, RI are 11.4% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $111,400 in Providence, RI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,402 a month in Providence, RI versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Providence, RI and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $539 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Providence, RI.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Providence, RI ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +11.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.7% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Providence, RI: price level 101.8 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Providence, RI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 101.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,406 in Providence | $89,762 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,402/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,032 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,148 (RI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $53,680 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Providence-Fall River, RI-MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Providence-Warwick, RI-MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Providence |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 103.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.1 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 148.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 102.3 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 101.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Providence, RI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$539/yr.
38 Weak offer
Providence, RI → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$539/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Providence, RI is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Providence, RI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Providence, RI | Real change, Fayetteville → Providence |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +1.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +1.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +1.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +1.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +1.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Providence, RI | Providence pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $86,720 | $77,841 (+27.6%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $130,690 | $117,309 (+11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $95,020 | $85,291 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $99,880 | $89,654 (+15.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.