City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Huntsville, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Huntsville, AL are 1.2% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $101,200 in Huntsville, AL to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,136 in Huntsville, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Huntsville, AL than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −0.3% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Huntsville, AL ($111,147 → $110,847), while prices change by +1.2%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.4% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Huntsville, AL: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Huntsville, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,189 in Huntsville | $98,825 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,136/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $51,740 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Huntsville, AL MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Huntsville, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Huntsville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 77.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 83.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Huntsville, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
65 Fair offer
Huntsville, AL → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Huntsville, AL is in Huntsville-Decatur, AL-TN. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Huntsville, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Huntsville, AL | Real change, Fayetteville → Huntsville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,279 | −1.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $77,772 | −1.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,216 | −1.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $110,847 | −1.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $130,987 | −1.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Huntsville, AL | Huntsville pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $62,250 | $61,518 (+13.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $128,080 | $126,575 (+3.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $79,220 | $78,289 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $77,090 | $76,184 (−8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.