City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, NC are 2.6% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $102,600 in Fayetteville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,254 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Montgomery, AL ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,504 in Montgomery | $102,560 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Montgomery, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.6%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,254/yr.
77 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,254/yr.
61 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Montgomery, AL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Fayetteville → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $59,610 | $61,136 (+12.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $110,620 | $113,452 (−7.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $75,040 | $76,961 (−2.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $79,570 | $81,607 (−1.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.