City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Gulfport, MS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, NC are 2.2% higher than in Gulfport, MS. Someone earning $100,000 in Gulfport, MS would need about $102,200 in Fayetteville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $923 in Gulfport, MS. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 15% in Gulfport, MS.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,268 in MS.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Gulfport, MS ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −2.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −2.1% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Gulfport, MS: price level 90.0 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Gulfport, MS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 90.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $97,856 in Gulfport | $102,191 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $923/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,912 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,268 (MS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $43,470 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Gulfport-Biloxi, MS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Gulfport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 67.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 76.3 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 96.1 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 90.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Gulfport, MS
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.2%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$213/yr.
76 Strong offer
Gulfport, MS → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$213/yr.
62 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Gulfport, MS is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Gulfport, MS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Gulfport, MS | Real change, Fayetteville → Gulfport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −2.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −2.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −2.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −2.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −2.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Gulfport, MS | Gulfport pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $50,820 | $51,933 (−4.4%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $104,240 | $106,524 (−13.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $76,380 | $78,053 (−0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $78,960 | $80,690 (−2.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.