City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 6.7% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $106,700 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $111,147 in either. A transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Raleigh, NC changes real buying power by −6.3%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,718 in Raleigh | $93,705 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.3%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
49 Fair offer
Raleigh, NC → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
90 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Fayetteville → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $64,453 | −6.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $77,983 | −6.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $93,468 | −6.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $111,147 | −6.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $131,342 | −6.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $60,170 | $56,382 (+3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $132,770 | $124,412 (+1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $81,950 | $76,791 (−2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $84,830 | $79,490 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.