City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Las Vegas, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Las Vegas, NV are 9.7% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $109,700 in Las Vegas, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,478 a month in Las Vegas, NV versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Las Vegas, NV and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Las Vegas, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.1% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Las Vegas, NV ($106,437 → $108,719), while prices change by +9.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −6.9% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Las Vegas, NV: price level 100.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Las Vegas, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 100.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,701 in Las Vegas | $91,157 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,478/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,670 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 115.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 90.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 100.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Las Vegas, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.8%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
41 Weak offer
Las Vegas, NV → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Las Vegas, NV is in Las Vegas-Henderson, NV-AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Las Vegas, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Las Vegas, NV | Real change, Fayetteville → Las Vegas |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,046 | −6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,280 | −6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,427 | −6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,719 | −6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,473 | −6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Las Vegas, NV | Las Vegas pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $65,040 | $59,289 (−2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $129,940 | $118,449 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $80,530 | $73,409 (−4.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $103,940 | $94,749 (+21.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.