City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Lakeland, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Lakeland, FL are 5.6% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $105,600 in Lakeland, FL to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,230 a month in Lakeland, FL versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Lakeland, FL and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,481 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Lakeland, FL.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Lakeland, FL ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by +5.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −9.3% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Lakeland, FL: price level 97.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Lakeland, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 97.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $105,613 in Lakeland | $94,685 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,230/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $46,140 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Lakeland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 95.9 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 86.9 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 97.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Lakeland, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.3%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,481/yr.
52 Fair offer
Lakeland, FL → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.6%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$3,481/yr.
86 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Lakeland, FL is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Lakeland, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Lakeland, FL | Real change, Fayetteville → Lakeland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −9.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −9.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −9.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −9.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −9.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Lakeland, FL | Lakeland pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $50,420 | $47,740 (−12.2%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $122,200 | $115,705 (−5.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $76,820 | $72,737 (−7.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $84,030 | $79,564 (−4.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.