City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Rochester, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Rochester, NY are 5.5% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $105,500 in Rochester, NY to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,256 a month in Rochester, NY versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Rochester, NY and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Rochester, NY than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Rochester, NY ($111,147 → $107,182), while prices change by +5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.6% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Rochester, NY: price level 97.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Rochester, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 97.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,498 in Rochester | $94,788 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,256/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $51,210 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Rochester, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Rochester, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Rochester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 87.5 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 133.2 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 97.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Rochester, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
52 Fair offer
Rochester, NY → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Rochester, NY is in Rochester-Batavia-Seneca Falls, NY. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Rochester, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Rochester, NY | Real change, Fayetteville → Rochester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $62,155 | −8.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $75,202 | −8.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $90,135 | −8.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $107,182 | −8.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $126,657 | −8.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Rochester, NY | Rochester pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $62,840 | $59,565 (+9.6%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $122,770 | $116,372 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $80,890 | $76,674 (−2.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $86,570 | $82,058 (−1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.