City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 1.3% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,300 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $996 in Waco, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 15% in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Waco, TX.
- 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 Waco, TX changes real buying power by −1.3%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,310 in Waco | $98,707 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,020 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Waco, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −1.3%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
65 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
73 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 Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Waco, TX | Real change, Fayetteville → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $59,100 | $58,336 (−4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $123,080 | $121,488 (+15.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $76,140 | $75,155 (−2.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $92,890 | $91,689 (+17.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.