City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Tallahassee, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tallahassee, FL are 2.8% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $102,800 in Tallahassee, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,204 a month in Tallahassee, FL versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Tallahassee, FL and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Tallahassee, FL.
- 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 Tallahassee, FL changes real buying power by −2.7%, purely from prices.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Tallahassee, FL: price level 93.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Tallahassee, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 93.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,809 in Tallahassee | $97,268 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,204/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $46,520 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Tallahassee, FL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Tallahassee, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 87.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 93.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Tallahassee, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.7%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
60 Fair offer
Tallahassee, FL → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
78 Strong 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 Tallahassee, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Tallahassee, FL | Real change, Fayetteville → Tallahassee |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Tallahassee, FL | Tallahassee pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $55,020 | $53,517 (−12.3%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $121,800 | $118,472 (+12.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $61,840 | $60,150 (−22.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $79,430 | $77,260 (−0.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.