City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Toledo, OH
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, NC (92.0) and Toledo, OH (91.5, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC goes as far as $99,400 in Toledo, OH.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $820 in Toledo, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 13% in Toledo, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Toledo, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Toledo, OH ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.7% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Toledo, OH: price level 91.5 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Toledo, OH | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 91.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,431 in Toledo | $100,572 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $820/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $77,212 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $1,968 (OH) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $48,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Toledo, OH MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Toledo, OH.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Toledo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 67.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 96.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 91.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Toledo, OH
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
71 Strong offer
Toledo, OH → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
67 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Toledo, OH is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Toledo, OH at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Toledo, OH | Real change, Fayetteville → Toledo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −3.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −3.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −3.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −3.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −3.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Toledo, OH | Toledo pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $63,250 | $63,612 (+17.0%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $104,360 | $104,957 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $77,400 | $77,843 (−0.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $81,050 | $81,513 (−1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.