City comparison
College Station, TX vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in College Station, TX (91.0) and Fayetteville, AR (91.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in College Station, TX goes as far as $100,400 in Fayetteville, AR.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,082 a month in College Station, TX and $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in College Station, TX.
- 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 College Station, TX to Fayetteville, AR changes real buying power by −0.4%, purely from prices.
- College Station, TX: price level 91.0 (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
| College Station, TX | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.0 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,442 in Fayetteville | $99,560 in College Station |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,082/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 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,470 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: College Station-Bryan, TX MSA and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: College Station-Bryan, TX and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | College Station | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 75.1 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 84.4 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 91.0 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
College Station, TX → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
67 Fair offer
Fayetteville, AR → College Station, TX
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
70 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 College Station, TX to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | College Station, TX | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, College Station → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | College Station, TX | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in College Station dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $57,870 | $61,010 | $60,742 (+5.0%) |
| Software Developers | $101,910 | $105,130 | $104,667 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $71,810 | $77,190 | $76,850 (+7.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,090 | $77,910 | $77,567 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.