City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Fayetteville, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 4.5% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $104,500 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,720 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Fayetteville, AR ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −4.3%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.2% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 91.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,689 in Fayetteville | $104,506 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $1,115/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $46,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 76.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 75.1 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 91.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.5%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,720/yr.
83 Strong offer
Fayetteville, AR → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,720/yr.
55 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Fayetteville, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Fayetteville, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Fayetteville, AR | Real change, Columbus → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +0.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +0.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +0.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +0.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Fayetteville, AR | Fayetteville pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $61,010 | $63,759 (−18.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $105,130 | $109,867 (−10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $77,190 | $80,668 (−1.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $77,910 | $81,420 (−3.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.