City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Tuscaloosa, AL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, AR are 4.1% higher than in Tuscaloosa, AL. Someone earning $100,000 in Tuscaloosa, AL would need about $104,100 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 $972 in Tuscaloosa, AL. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR and 16% in Tuscaloosa, AL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,048 a year higher in Tuscaloosa, AL than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Tuscaloosa, AL ($106,437 → $107,510), while prices change by −4.0%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.2% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Tuscaloosa, AL: price level 87.7 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 87.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,025 in Tuscaloosa | $104,139 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $972/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $45,220 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Tuscaloosa, AL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Tuscaloosa, AL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 58.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 84.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.7 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 87.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Tuscaloosa, AL
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,048/yr.
82 Strong offer
Tuscaloosa, AL → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,048/yr.
56 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Tuscaloosa, AL is in Birmingham-Hoover-Talladega, AL. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Tuscaloosa, AL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Real change, Fayetteville → Tuscaloosa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,344 | +5.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,431 | +5.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,410 | +5.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,510 | +5.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,044 | +5.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $60,220 | $62,713 (+2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $104,870 | $109,211 (+3.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $71,690 | $74,657 (−3.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $75,250 | $78,365 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.