City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Spartanburg, SC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, NC are 1.0% higher than in Spartanburg, SC. Someone earning $100,000 in Spartanburg, SC would need about $101,000 in Fayetteville, NC to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,083 in Spartanburg, SC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,362 a year higher in Spartanburg, SC than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Spartanburg, SC ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −1.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Spartanburg, SC: price level 91.1 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Spartanburg, SC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 91.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,992 in Spartanburg | $101,018 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,083/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,337 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,843 (SC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $47,650 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Spartanburg, SC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Spartanburg, SC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 68.0 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 88.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.3 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 91.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Spartanburg, SC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,362/yr.
72 Strong offer
Spartanburg, SC → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,362/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Spartanburg, SC is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Spartanburg, SC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Spartanburg, SC | Real change, Fayetteville → Spartanburg |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −3.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −3.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −3.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −3.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −3.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Spartanburg, SC | Spartanburg pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $60,990 | $61,611 (+13.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $114,460 | $115,625 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $77,080 | $77,865 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $82,360 | $83,199 (+0.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.