Cost of Living in Fayetteville, AR
Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Fayetteville, AR to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Fayetteville, AR?
With a price level of 91.4 (U.S. average = 100), Fayetteville, AR is cheaper than average. In detail, housing costs are 23% below average; everyday goods are 6% below average; utilities are 25% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 5% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in utilities.
Prices in Fayetteville, AR vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 91.4 | −8.6% |
| Housing | 76.9 | −23.1% |
| Goods | 93.6 | −6.4% |
| Utilities | 75.1 | −24.9% |
| Other services | 95.3 | −4.7% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Fayetteville, AR
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,007 | $40,280/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $1,115 | $44,600/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,347 | $53,880/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,873 | $74,920/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $2,213 | $88,520/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Fayetteville, AR
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Fayetteville, AR | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $36,500 | $30,297 |
| $60,000 | $54,800 | $44,287 |
| $80,000 | $73,100 | $57,618 |
| $100,000 | $91,400 | $69,778 |
| $150,000 | $137,000 | $99,775 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Arkansas 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Fayetteville, AR's median wage of $46,610 takes home about $3,169 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $1,115, which is 35% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,054 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Fayetteville, AR
- Federal income tax$3,413
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,890
- Medicare (1.45%)$676
- Arkansas income tax$1,605
- Take-home pay$38,026
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.90% state
Highest-paying jobs in Fayetteville, AR
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Arkansas cities
Half of Arkansas’s 1,303,630 workers earn less than $43,630 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $31,880–$61,850 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Texarkana, TX stretches a paycheck furthest, while Hot Springs, AR is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN | $46,890 | 92.2 | $1,137 | 36% | $2,050 | $41,485 |
| Little Rock, AR | $45,790 | 89.4 | $984 | 32% | $2,133 | $41,850 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $46,610 | 91.4 | $1,115 | 35% | $2,054 | $41,625 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $39,560 | 85.9 | $714 | 26% | $2,006 | $37,999 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $42,240 | 85.9 | $838 | 29% | $2,052 | $40,390 |
| Texarkana, TX | $43,200 | 84.0 | $852 | 29% | $2,100 | $42,160 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $36,540 | 85.7 | $834 | 33% | $1,693 | $35,376 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Fayetteville, AR vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | 91.4 | $1,115 | $46,610 | 275,180 |
| Reno, NV | 101.0 | $1,444 | $49,660 | 275,680 |
| Winston, NC | 92.0 | $1,031 | $46,380 | 271,980 |
| Ogden, UT | 100.3 | $1,281 | $48,900 | 271,370 |
| Jackson, MS | 89.0 | $1,045 | $42,850 | 270,730 |
| Kiryas Joel, NY | 109.4 | $1,549 | $50,990 | 268,970 |
| New Haven, CT | 104.6 | $1,591 | $60,060 | 281,410 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Fayetteville, AR expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR metro area are 91.4% of the U.S. average, with housing at 76.9%. It is the #261 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Fayetteville, AR?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $54,812 in Fayetteville, AR (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $46,610.
Can you afford Fayetteville, AR on the median wage?
A single worker on the $46,610 median wage takes home about $3,169 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $1,115 would take 35% of that.
How much is rent in Fayetteville, AR?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Fayetteville, AR are $1,007 for a studio, $1,115 for one bedroom, $1,347 for two bedrooms and $1,873 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Fayetteville, AR
Management Occupations
- General and Operations Manager — $81,800
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
Computer and Mathematical Occupations
- Software Developer — $105,130
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $62,110
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $61,010
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $77,910
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $29,430
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $36,080
- Cooks, Restaurant — $33,730
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,170
- Waiter and Waitress — $26,210
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $64,810
- Retail Salesperson — $30,300
- Cashier — $29,820
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $63,620
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $45,830
- Office Clerks, General — $39,660
- Customer Service Representative — $39,510
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $36,080
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $47,790
Production Occupations
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $60,480
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $36,930
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,040