City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Milwaukee, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Milwaukee, WI are 5.4% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $105,400 in Milwaukee, WI to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,119 in Milwaukee, WI.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $438 a year higher in Milwaukee, WI than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.1% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Milwaukee, WI ($111,147 → $111,310), while prices change by +5.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.0% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Milwaukee, WI: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Milwaukee, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,392 in Milwaukee | $94,884 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,119/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $51,160 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 97.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 91.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Milwaukee, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$438/yr.
53 Fair offer
Milwaukee, WI → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$438/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Milwaukee, WI is in Milwaukee-Racine-Waukesha, WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Milwaukee, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Milwaukee, WI | Real change, Fayetteville → Milwaukee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,548 | −5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $78,098 | −5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,606 | −5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,310 | −5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,535 | −5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Milwaukee, WI | Milwaukee pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $61,480 | $58,335 (+7.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $123,730 | $117,400 (−4.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $80,290 | $76,183 (−3.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $97,360 | $92,379 (+11.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.