City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Baton Rouge, LA (90.8) and Fayetteville, AR (91.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Baton Rouge, LA goes as far as $100,600 in Fayetteville, AR.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA and $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,074 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Fayetteville, AR changes real buying power by −0.6%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,631 in Fayetteville | $99,373 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,074/yr.
67 Fair offer
Fayetteville, AR → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,074/yr.
71 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Baton Rouge → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $61,010 | $60,627 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $105,130 | $104,471 (+2.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $77,190 | $76,706 (+5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $77,910 | $77,421 (−4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.