City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 9.4% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $109,400 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Fayetteville, AR ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,382 in Fayetteville | $109,430 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
98 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Allentown → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $61,010 | $66,764 (−15.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $105,130 | $115,044 (−6.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $77,190 | $84,469 (+7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $77,910 | $85,257 (−16.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.