City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Fayetteville, AR (91.4) and Peoria, IL (91.2, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR goes as far as $99,900 in Peoria, IL.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,118 a year higher in Peoria, IL 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 Peoria, IL changes real buying power by +0.1%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,866 in Peoria | $100,134 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $49,590 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Peoria, IL
Roughly even
Buying power +0.1%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,118/yr.
69 Fair offer
Peoria, IL → Fayetteville, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,118/yr.
68 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 Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Peoria, IL | Real change, Fayetteville → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $57,440 | $57,517 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $130,590 | $130,765 (+24.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $79,540 | $79,646 (+3.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $81,010 | $81,118 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.