City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs South Bend, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in South Bend, IN are 1.6% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,600 in South Bend, IN to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,105 in South Bend, IN.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $767 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in South Bend, IN.
- 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 South Bend, IN changes real buying power by −1.6%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- South Bend, IN: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | South Bend, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,647 in South Bend | $98,379 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,105/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,540 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | South Bend |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 74.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.2 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 87.7 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → South Bend, IN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$767/yr.
64 Fair offer
South Bend, IN → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$767/yr.
74 Strong 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 South Bend, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | South Bend, IN | Real change, Fayetteville → South Bend |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | South Bend, IN | South Bend pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $58,180 | $57,237 (−6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $95,500 | $93,952 (−10.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $77,940 | $76,677 (−0.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $93,540 | $92,024 (+18.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.