City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fayetteville, NC are 8.5% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $108,500 in Fayetteville, NC to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC versus $982 in Shreveport, LA. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Fayetteville, NC and 15% in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $868 a year higher in Fayetteville, NC than in Shreveport, LA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Shreveport, LA ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −7.8%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.9% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $92,159 in Shreveport | $108,508 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.5%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$868/yr.
95 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$868/yr.
44 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Shreveport, LA is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Fayetteville → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +3.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +3.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +3.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +3.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +3.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $61,850 | $67,112 (+23.5%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $96,680 | $104,906 (−14.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $70,420 | $76,411 (−2.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $80,080 | $86,893 (+4.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.