City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Kansas City, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, NC (92.0) and Kansas City, MO (92.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC goes as far as $100,600 in Kansas City, MO.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,197 a month in Kansas City, MO versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Kansas City, MO and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $281 a year higher in Kansas City, MO than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Kansas City, MO ($111,147 → $108,173), while prices change by +0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Kansas City, MO: 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, NC | Kansas City, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,614 in Kansas City | $99,389 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,197/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $50,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Kansas City, MO-KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Kansas City, MO-KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 86.6 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 93.4 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Kansas City, MO
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$281/yr.
67 Fair offer
Kansas City, MO → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$281/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Kansas City, MO is in Kansas City-Overland Park-Kansas City, MO-KS. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Kansas City, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Kansas City, MO | Real change, Fayetteville → Kansas City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,729 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,897 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $90,968 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $108,173 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $127,829 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $61,060 | $60,687 (+11.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $124,990 | $124,227 (+1.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $80,040 | $79,551 (+1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $83,040 | $82,533 (−0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.