City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Indianapolis, IN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Indianapolis, IN are 4.0% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $104,000 in Indianapolis, IN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,267 a month in Indianapolis, IN versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Indianapolis, IN and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $561 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Indianapolis, IN.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.3% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Indianapolis, IN ($111,147 → $107,428), while prices change by +4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Indianapolis, IN: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Indianapolis, IN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,042 in Indianapolis | $96,115 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,267/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,921 (IN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $49,340 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Indianapolis-Carmel, IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 88.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 86.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.1 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Indianapolis, IN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$561/yr.
57 Fair offer
Indianapolis, IN → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$561/yr.
81 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Indianapolis, IN is in Indianapolis-Carmel-Muncie, IN. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Indianapolis, IN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Real change, Fayetteville → Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,297 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,374 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $90,341 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $107,428 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $126,947 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Indianapolis, IN | Indianapolis pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $99,030 | $98,060 | $94,250 (−4.8%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $106,870 | $102,718 (−16.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $79,290 | $76,209 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $84,230 | $80,957 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.