City comparison
Buffalo, NY vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Buffalo, NY are 4.9% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $104,900 in Buffalo, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,139 a month in Buffalo, NY and $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Buffalo, NY than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.4% moving from Buffalo, NY to Fayetteville, AR ($111,301 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.3% in real buying power.
- Buffalo, NY: price level 95.8 (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
| Buffalo, NY | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.8 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,314 in Fayetteville | $104,916 in Buffalo |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,139/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,320 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,860 (NY) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $50,790 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY MSA and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Buffalo | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 81.0 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 99.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 129.5 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 95.8 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Buffalo, NY → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
84 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Buffalo, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
54 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Buffalo, NY is in the Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Olean, NY pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Buffalo, NY to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Buffalo, NY | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Buffalo → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,543 | $61,722 | +0.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $78,091 | $74,678 | +0.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,598 | $89,508 | +0.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,301 | $106,437 | +0.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,525 | $125,776 | +0.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Buffalo, NY | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Buffalo dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,490 | $61,010 | $64,009 (−16.3%) |
| Software Developers | $127,850 | $105,130 | $110,298 (−13.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,120 | $77,190 | $80,985 (−1.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $99,060 | $77,910 | $81,740 (−17.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.