City comparison
Denver, CO vs Fayetteville, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 15.0% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $115,000 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −6.3% moving from Denver, CO to Fayetteville, NC ($118,675 → $111,147), while prices change by −13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.7% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (pricier)
- 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
| Denver, CO | Fayetteville, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $86,951 in Fayetteville | $115,008 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $1,113/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $45,620 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Fayetteville, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 73.1 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 87.8 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +15.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$210/yr.
100 Strong offer
Fayetteville, NC → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −13.0%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$210/yr.
33 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Fayetteville, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Fayetteville, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Fayetteville, NC | Real change, Denver → Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $64,453 | +7.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $77,983 | +7.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $93,468 | +7.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $111,147 | +7.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $131,342 | +7.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Fayetteville, NC | Fayetteville pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $76,910 | $54,350 | $62,507 (−18.7%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $122,900 | $141,345 (+2.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $78,560 | $90,350 (−9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $83,060 | $95,526 (−5.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.