City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Montgomery, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 1.9% higher than in Montgomery, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Montgomery, AL would need about $101,900 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 $870 in Montgomery, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 14% in Montgomery, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,048 a year higher in Montgomery, AL than in Fayetteville, AR.
- 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 Montgomery, AL changes real buying power by +1.9%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Montgomery, AL: price level 89.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Montgomery, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 89.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,171 in Montgomery | $101,863 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $870/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,445 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,735 (AL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $44,950 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Montgomery, AL MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Montgomery, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Montgomery |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 64.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 84.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 89.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Montgomery, AL
Roughly even
Buying power +1.9%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,048/yr.
75 Strong offer
Montgomery, AL → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −1.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,048/yr.
63 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 Montgomery, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Montgomery, AL | Real change, Fayetteville → Montgomery |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Montgomery, AL | Montgomery pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $59,610 | $60,721 (−0.5%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $110,620 | $112,681 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $75,040 | $76,438 (−1.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $79,570 | $81,053 (+4.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.