City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Youngstown, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 4.5% higher than in Youngstown, OH. Someone earning $100,000 in Youngstown, OH would need about $104,500 in Fayetteville, AR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $771 in Youngstown, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 12% in Youngstown, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,720 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Youngstown, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Youngstown, OH ($106,437 → $111,138), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +9.1% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Youngstown, OH: price level 87.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Youngstown, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 87.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,666 in Youngstown | $104,530 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $771/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 12% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $43,800 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Youngstown-Warren, OH MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Youngstown-Warren, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Youngstown |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 53.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 87.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Youngstown, OH
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 12% of take-home; state tax −$1,720/yr.
83 Strong offer
Youngstown, OH → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,720/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Youngstown, OH is in Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Youngstown, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Youngstown, OH | Real change, Fayetteville → Youngstown |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,448 | +9.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,977 | +9.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,461 | +9.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,138 | +9.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,331 | +9.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Youngstown, OH | Youngstown pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $72,560 | $75,847 (+24.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $107,990 | $112,882 (+7.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $73,080 | $76,391 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $78,680 | $82,244 (+5.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.