City comparison
Birmingham, AL vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Birmingham, AL (91.6) and Fayetteville, AR (91.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Birmingham, AL goes as far as $99,700 in Fayetteville, AR.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,155 a month in Birmingham, AL and $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,048 a year higher in Birmingham, AL than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −1.0% moving from Birmingham, AL to Fayetteville, AR ($107,510 → $106,437), while prices change by −0.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.7% in real buying power.
- Birmingham, AL: price level 91.6 (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
| Birmingham, AL | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.6 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,682 in Fayetteville | $100,319 in Birmingham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,155/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,445 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,735 (AL) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,770 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Birmingham-Hoover, AL HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Birmingham, AL and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Birmingham | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.9 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 96.4 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 83.8 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 96.7 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 91.6 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Birmingham, AL → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.3%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,048/yr.
70 Fair offer
Fayetteville, AR → Birmingham, AL
Roughly even
Buying power −0.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,048/yr.
68 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Birmingham, AL is in the Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Birmingham, AL to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Birmingham, AL | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Birmingham → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,344 | $61,722 | −0.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,431 | $74,678 | −0.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $90,410 | $89,508 | −0.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $107,510 | $106,437 | −0.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $127,044 | $125,776 | −0.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Birmingham, AL | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Birmingham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,630 | $61,010 | $61,204 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $125,410 | $105,130 | $105,465 (−15.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,660 | $77,190 | $77,436 (−1.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $78,680 | $77,910 | $78,158 (−0.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.