City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Lubbock, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, NC (92.0) and Lubbock, TX (91.3, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC goes as far as $99,300 in Lubbock, TX.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $990 in Lubbock, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 15% in Lubbock, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Lubbock, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Lubbock, TX ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.5% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Lubbock, TX: price level 91.3 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Lubbock, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 91.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,281 in Lubbock | $100,724 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $990/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $42,130 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lubbock, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Lubbock, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Lubbock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 76.4 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 82.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 91.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Lubbock, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.7%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
71 Strong offer
Lubbock, TX → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
67 Fair offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Lubbock, TX is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Lubbock, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Lubbock, TX | Real change, Fayetteville → Lubbock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Lubbock, TX | Lubbock pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $99,030 | $98,480 | $99,193 (+0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $115,190 | $116,024 (−5.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $74,390 | $74,928 (−4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $81,480 | $82,070 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.