City comparison
Austin, TX vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Austin, TX are 7.3% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $107,300 in Austin, TX to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,562 a month in Austin, TX versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Austin, TX and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Austin, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.7% moving from Austin, TX to Fayetteville, AR ($109,428 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.4% in real buying power.
- Austin, TX: price level 98.1 (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
| Austin, TX | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.1 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,155 in Fayetteville | $107,348 in Austin |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,562/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $56,950 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX MSA and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Austin | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.4 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.0 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 98.1 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Austin, TX → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
92 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Austin, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.8%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
47 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Austin, TX is in the Austin-Round Rock-Georgetown, TX pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Austin, TX to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Austin, TX | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Austin → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,457 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,777 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,023 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $109,428 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $129,311 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Austin, TX | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Austin dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,270 | $61,010 | $65,493 (+6.9%) |
| Software Developers | $134,120 | $105,130 | $112,855 (−15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $83,120 | $77,190 | $82,862 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,890 | $77,910 | $83,635 (−14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.