City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Richmond, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Richmond, VA are 7.1% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $107,100 in Richmond, VA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Richmond, VA versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Richmond, VA and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,249 a year higher in Richmond, VA than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.5% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Richmond, VA ($106,437 → $111,183), while prices change by +7.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.5% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Richmond, VA: price level 97.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Richmond, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 97.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,121 in Richmond | $93,353 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,507/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $51,460 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Richmond, VA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Richmond, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Richmond, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Richmond |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 99.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 89.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 97.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Richmond, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$1,249/yr.
48 Fair offer
Richmond, VA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,249/yr.
91 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Richmond, VA is in Richmond, VA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Richmond, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Richmond, VA | Real change, Fayetteville → Richmond |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,475 | −2.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $78,009 | −2.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,499 | −2.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,183 | −2.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,385 | −2.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Richmond, VA | Richmond pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $61,290 | $57,216 (−6.2%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $132,120 | $123,337 (+17.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $84,220 | $78,622 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $93,580 | $87,359 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.