City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.8% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $104,800 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Fayetteville, AR.
- 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 Syracuse, NY changes real buying power by −4.6%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,804 in Syracuse | $95,416 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
54 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
84 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Fayetteville → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,200 | $108,270 | $103,307 (−2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $129,100 | $123,182 (+17.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $82,230 | $78,460 (+1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $86,960 | $82,974 (+6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.