City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 14.0% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $114,000 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,795 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Minneapolis, MN ($111,147 → $116,038), while prices change by +14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,964 in Minneapolis | $87,747 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,795/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,795/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Fayetteville → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $67,290 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $81,415 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $97,582 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $116,038 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $137,123 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $79,730 | $69,961 (+28.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $130,920 | $114,878 (−6.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $86,500 | $75,901 (−3.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $103,040 | $90,414 (+8.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.