City comparison
Fayetteville, NC vs Syracuse, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Syracuse, NY are 4.1% higher than in Fayetteville, NC. Someone earning $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC would need about $104,100 in Syracuse, NY to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,113 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,123 in Syracuse, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,378 a year higher in Syracuse, NY than in Fayetteville, NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Fayetteville, NC to Syracuse, NY ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by +4.1%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.0% in real buying power.
- Fayetteville, NC: price level 92.0 (much cheaper)
- Syracuse, NY: price level 95.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, NC | Syracuse, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.0 | 95.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,092 in Syracuse | $96,069 in Fayetteville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,113/mo | $1,123/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,620 | $52,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fayetteville, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Syracuse, NY MSA. Metro areas: Fayetteville, NC and Syracuse, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fayetteville | Syracuse |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.1 | 80.7 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 87.8 | 133.4 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 92.0 | 95.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fayetteville, NC → Syracuse, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$1,378/yr.
56 Fair offer
Syracuse, NY → Fayetteville, NC
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.1%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$1,378/yr.
82 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fayetteville, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Syracuse, NY is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Fayetteville, NC to Syracuse, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fayetteville, NC | Syracuse, NY | Real change, Fayetteville → Syracuse |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | −8.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | −8.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | −8.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | −8.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | −8.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fayetteville, NC | Syracuse, NY | Syracuse pay in Fayetteville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $54,350 | $78,560 | $75,471 (+38.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,900 | $129,100 | $124,025 (+0.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,560 | $82,230 | $78,997 (+0.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,060 | $86,960 | $83,541 (+0.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.