City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Tucson, AZ
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tucson, AZ are 6.1% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $106,100 in Tucson, AZ to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,115 a month in Fayetteville, AR and $1,081 in Tucson, AZ.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,396 a year higher in Fayetteville, AR than in Tucson, AZ.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.9% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Tucson, AZ ($106,437 → $108,455), while prices change by +6.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.9% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Tucson, AZ: price level 96.9 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Tucson, AZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 96.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,068 in Tucson | $94,279 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,081/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,889 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $2,291 (AZ) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $47,760 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Tucson-Nogales, AZ |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Tucson, AZ MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Tucson, AZ.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Tucson |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 91.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 89.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.8 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 96.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Tucson, AZ
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,396/yr.
51 Fair offer
Tucson, AZ → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,396/yr.
88 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tucson, AZ is in Tucson-Nogales, AZ. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Tucson, AZ at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Tucson, AZ | Real change, Fayetteville → Tucson |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,893 | −3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,095 | −3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,205 | −3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $108,455 | −3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,162 | −3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Tucson, AZ | Tucson pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $47,220 | $44,519 (−27.0%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $123,710 | $116,633 (+10.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $76,320 | $71,954 (−6.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $94,110 | $88,726 (+13.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.