City comparison
Corpus Christi, TX vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Corpus Christi, TX (92.7) and Fayetteville, NC (92.0, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Corpus Christi, TX goes as far as $99,300 in Fayetteville, NC.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,117 a month in Corpus Christi, TX and $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Corpus Christi, TX.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +3.9% moving from Corpus Christi, TX to Fayetteville, NC ($106,955 → $111,147), while prices change by −0.7%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.7% in real buying power.
- Corpus Christi, TX: price level 92.7 (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
| Corpus Christi, TX | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,252 in Fayetteville | $100,753 in Corpus Christi |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,117/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,350 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Corpus Christi, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Corpus Christi, TX and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Corpus Christi | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 84.9 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 81.0 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Corpus Christi, TX → Fayetteville, NC
Roughly even
Buying power +0.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
71 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Corpus Christi, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
66 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Corpus Christi, TX is in the Corpus Christi-Kingsville-Alice, TX pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Corpus Christi, TX to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Corpus Christi, TX | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Corpus Christi → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,023 | $64,453 | +4.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $75,042 | $77,983 | +4.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,943 | $93,468 | +4.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,955 | $111,147 | +4.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $126,389 | $131,342 | +4.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Corpus Christi, TX | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Corpus Christi dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,210 | $54,350 | $54,759 (−9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $123,580 | $122,900 | $123,826 (+0.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $75,580 | $78,560 | $79,152 (+4.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,690 | $83,060 | $83,686 (+1.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.