City comparison
Charlotte, NC vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Charlotte, NC are 5.8% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $105,800 in Charlotte, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,538 a month in Charlotte, NC versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Charlotte, NC and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- Both are in NC, so estimated state income tax is the same: $3,481 a year on $100,000.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Charlotte, NC to Fayetteville, NC ($108,810 → $111,147), while prices change by −5.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.1% in real buying power.
- Charlotte, NC: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Charlotte, NC | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.3 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,484 in Fayetteville | $105,838 in Charlotte |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,538/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,990 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Charlotte | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 97.6 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 89.2 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 97.3 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Charlotte, NC → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
87 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Charlotte, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.5%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$0/yr.
52 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Charlotte, NC is in the Charlotte-Concord, NC-SC pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Charlotte, NC to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Charlotte, NC | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Charlotte → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $63,098 | $64,453 | +8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,343 | $77,983 | +8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,503 | $93,468 | +8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,810 | $111,147 | +8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,581 | $131,342 | +8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Charlotte, NC | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Charlotte dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,680 | $54,350 | $57,523 (−2.0%) |
| Software Developers | $135,920 | $122,900 | $130,075 (−4.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $92,910 | $78,560 | $83,147 (−10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $90,620 | $83,060 | $87,909 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.