City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 5.2% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $105,200 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,093 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +5.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,154 in Springfield | $95,099 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.9%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,093/yr.
53 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,093/yr.
85 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Springfield, MA | Real change, Fayetteville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $79,640 | $75,737 (+24.1%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $127,740 | $121,479 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $92,010 | $87,501 (+13.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $98,410 | $93,587 (+20.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.