City comparison
Akron, OH vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Akron, OH are 1.5% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $101,500 in Akron, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $985 in Akron, OH. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 15% in Akron, OH.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,514 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Akron, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.0% moving from Akron, OH to Fayetteville, NC ($111,138 → $111,147), while prices change by −1.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Akron, OH: price level 93.4 (cheaper)
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Akron, OH | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.4 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,509 in Fayetteville | $101,513 in Akron |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $985/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,840 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Akron, OH MSA and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Akron, OH and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Akron | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 96.4 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 93.4 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Akron, OH → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +1.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,514/yr.
73 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Akron, OH
Roughly even
Buying power −1.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,514/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Akron, OH is in the Cleveland-Akron-Canton, OH-PA pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Akron, OH to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Akron, OH | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Akron → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,448 | $64,453 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,977 | $77,983 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,461 | $93,468 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,138 | $111,147 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,331 | $131,342 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Akron, OH | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Akron dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,560 | $54,350 | $55,173 (−29.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,430 | $122,900 | $124,760 (+18.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,540 | $78,560 | $79,749 (+1.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $80,770 | $83,060 | $84,317 (+4.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.