City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 7.4% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $107,400 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +7.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.8% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,448 in Raleigh | $93,068 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.9%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
47 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Fayetteville → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −2.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −2.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −2.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −2.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −2.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $60,170 | $55,999 (−8.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $132,770 | $123,567 (+17.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $81,950 | $76,269 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $84,830 | $78,950 (+1.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.