City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 1.5% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,500 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Utica, 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 Utica, NY changes real buying power by −1.4%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,450 in Utica | $98,570 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $926/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% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $48,970 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Utica, NY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
64 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
73 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 Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Utica, NY | Real change, Fayetteville → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $106,200 | $98,280 | $96,875 (−8.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $113,390 | $111,769 (+6.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $79,830 | $78,689 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $94,300 | $92,952 (+19.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.