City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Greensboro, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greensboro, NC are 1.7% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $101,700 in Greensboro, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Greensboro, NC versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Greensboro, NC and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,481 in NC.
- 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 Fayetteville, AR to Greensboro, NC changes real buying power by −1.6%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Greensboro, NC: price level 92.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Greensboro, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 92.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,655 in Greensboro | $98,372 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,570 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Greensboro-High Point, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Greensboro-High Point, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Greensboro |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 74.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 89.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 92.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Greensboro, NC
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
64 Fair offer
Greensboro, NC → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
74 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 Fayetteville, AR to Greensboro, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Greensboro, NC | Real change, Fayetteville → Greensboro |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Greensboro, NC | Greensboro pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $59,730 | $58,757 (−3.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $125,190 | $123,152 (+17.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $80,170 | $78,865 (+2.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $82,860 | $81,511 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.