City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 4.4% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $104,400 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $1,113 in Fayetteville, NC. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 18% in Fayetteville, NC.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,299 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +8.0% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Springfield, MA ($111,147 → $120,094), while prices change by +4.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +3.5% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,439 in Springfield | $95,750 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.3%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,299/yr.
55 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,299/yr.
83 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Springfield, MA | Real change, Fayetteville → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $69,642 | +3.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $84,260 | +3.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $100,992 | +3.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $120,094 | +3.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $141,915 | +3.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $79,640 | $76,255 (+40.3%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $127,740 | $122,311 (−0.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $92,010 | $88,099 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $98,410 | $94,227 (+13.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.