City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Lexington, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, NC (92.0) and Lexington, KY (92.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC goes as far as $101,000 in Lexington, KY.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,079 in Lexington, KY.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,382 in KY.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Lexington, KY ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by +1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.2% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Lexington, KY: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,990 in Lexington | $99,019 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,079/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $48,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lexington-Fayette, KY MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Lexington-Fayette, KY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Lexington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 77.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.9 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Lexington, KY
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$99/yr.
66 Fair offer
Lexington, KY → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$99/yr.
72 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Lexington, KY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Lexington, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Lexington, KY | Real change, Fayetteville → Lexington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Lexington, KY | Lexington pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $61,460 | $60,857 (+12.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $123,510 | $122,299 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $77,780 | $77,017 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $79,040 | $78,265 (−5.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.