City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Merced, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Merced, CA are 7.6% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $107,600 in Merced, CA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,213 a month in Merced, CA versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Merced, CA and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,383 a year higher in Merced, CA than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Merced, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +7.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +16.2% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Merced, CA: price level 98.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Merced, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 98.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,577 in Merced | $92,956 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,213/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $47,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Merced, CA MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Merced, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Merced |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 158.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 98.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Merced, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,383/yr.
47 Fair offer
Merced, CA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,383/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Merced, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Merced, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Merced, CA | Real change, Fayetteville → Merced |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +16.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +16.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +16.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +16.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +16.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Merced, CA | Merced pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $100,120 | $93,068 (+52.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $132,120 | $122,814 (+16.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $80,420 | $74,756 (−3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $131,620 | $122,349 (+57.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.