City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 6.4% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $106,400 in Fayetteville, AR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in McAllen, TX.
- 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 McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +6.4%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,025 in McAllen | $106,354 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
89 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
50 Fair 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 McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | McAllen, TX | Real change, Fayetteville → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $63,110 | $67,120 (+10.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $116,120 | $123,499 (+17.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $64,470 | $68,567 (−11.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $80,540 | $85,658 (+9.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.