City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Salem, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salem, OR are 12.7% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $112,700 in Salem, OR to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,201 a month in Salem, OR versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Salem, OR and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,439 a year higher in Salem, OR than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Salem, OR ($111,147 → $114,684), while prices change by +12.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.4% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Salem, OR: price level 103.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Salem, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 103.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,689 in Salem | $88,740 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,201/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $55,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Salem, OR MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Salem, OR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Salem |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 110.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 105.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 104.7 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 103.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Salem, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.3%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$4,439/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salem, OR → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$4,439/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Salem, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Salem, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Salem, OR | Real change, Fayetteville → Salem |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $66,505 | −8.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $80,465 | −8.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $96,443 | −8.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $114,684 | −8.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $135,522 | −8.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Salem, OR | Salem pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $74,810 | $66,386 (+22.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $131,620 | $116,799 (−5.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $87,480 | $77,630 (−1.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $131,750 | $116,915 (+40.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.