City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Fresno, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fresno, CA are 11.1% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $111,100 in Fresno, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,355 a month in Fresno, CA versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Fresno, CA and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Fresno, CA than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.8% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Fresno, CA ($111,147 → $106,973), while prices change by +11.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −13.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Fresno, CA: price level 102.2 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Fresno, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 102.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $111,068 in Fresno | $90,035 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,355/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $46,910 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fresno, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Fresno, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Fresno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 95.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 161.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 102.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Fresno, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
38 Weak offer
Fresno, CA → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Fresno, CA is in Fresno-Madera-Hanford, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Fresno, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Fresno, CA | Real change, Fayetteville → Fresno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,033 | −13.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,055 | −13.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,959 | −13.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,973 | −13.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $126,410 | −13.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Fresno, CA | Fresno pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $78,800 | $70,948 (+30.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $129,060 | $116,199 (−5.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $78,690 | $70,849 (−9.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $125,420 | $112,922 (+36.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.