City comparison
Fayetteville, AR vs Worcester, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Worcester, MA are 12.2% higher than in Fayetteville, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, AR would need about $112,200 in Worcester, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,599 a month in Worcester, MA versus $1,115 in Fayetteville, AR. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Worcester, MA and 18% in Fayetteville, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,093 a year higher in Worcester, MA than in Fayetteville, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Fayetteville, AR to Worcester, MA ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +12.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.9% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, AR: price level 91.4 (much cheaper)
- Worcester, MA: price level 102.5 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Worcester, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 91.4 | 102.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,227 in Worcester | $89,105 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,115/mo | $1,599/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,610 | $57,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR MSA and Worcester, MA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR and Worcester, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Worcester |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.9 | 113.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 75.1 | 155.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 91.4 | 102.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, AR → Worcester, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax +$1,093/yr.
36 Weak offer
Worcester, MA → Fayetteville, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,093/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Worcester, MA is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, AR to Worcester, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, AR | Worcester, MA | Real change, Fayetteville → Worcester |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | +0.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | +0.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | +0.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | +0.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | +0.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, AR | Worcester, MA | Worcester pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,010 | $82,810 | $73,788 (+20.9%) |
| Software Developers | $105,130 | $146,950 | $130,940 (+24.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $77,190 | $94,070 | $83,821 (+8.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $77,910 | $100,240 | $89,319 (+14.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.