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Fayetteville, NC vs. Greensboro, NC

Median rent is $1,179 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,114 in Greensboro, NC. Household income is $56,395 against $58,884. Both cities are read from the same ACS 2019-2023 5-Year Estimates and the same BEA Regional Price Parities 2023, so the two columns below are directly comparable.

$
Same standard of living
A salary of $100,000 in Fayetteville, NC buys what $101,417 buys in Greensboro, NC
+$1,417 more to keep the same standard of living
Median gross rent Monthly
$1,179 $1,114 -5.5%
Median household income Annual
$56,395 $58,884 +4.4%
Median home value Owner-occupied
$171,900 $221,300 +28.7%
Rent as share of income Annual rent ÷ income
25.1% 22.7% -2.4 pp
Price level U.S. average = 100
91.4 92.7 +1.4%
Salary needed for median rent Keeps rent at 30% of gross
$47,200 $44,600 -5.5%
Rent median income carries at 30% Affordable rent
$1,410 $1,472 +4.4%
Population City proper
209,692 298,564 +42.4%
Equivalent salary For $100,000 in Fayetteville
$100,000 $101,417 +1.4%

A green or red badge means the second city is higher or lower, not better or worse: a lower rent is good for a tenant, a lower household income is not. For the price level and
the share of income the raw values are shown, because a percentage difference between two
percentages is easy to misread.

What the gap means

Lower rent
$1,114
Greensboro, NC · 5.8% below Fayetteville, NC
Higher household income
$58,884
Greensboro, NC · 4.4% above Fayetteville, NC
Same standard of living
$101,417
$100,000 in Fayetteville, NC needs $101,417 in Greensboro, NC
Price level gap
1.3 points
91.4 in NC against 92.7 in NC
Rent burden gap
2.4 points
Greensboro, NC versus Fayetteville, NC, share of income taken by rent
Highest buying power
109.4%
Fayetteville, NC · share of the national average income that a dollar there buys

Occupation wages in both metros

May 2025 U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). Metropolitan areas may differ from city boundaries.

Wage comparison for shared occupations
Occupation Fayetteville, NC median Greensboro, NC median vs.
Retail Salespersons $30,440 $30,750 +1.0%
Fast Food and Counter Workers $28,170 $28,200 +0.1%
Registered Nurses $83,060 $82,860 -0.2%
Customer Service Representatives $35,130 $41,240 +17.4%
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers $49,980 $58,480 +17.0%
Nursing Assistants $37,530 $38,260 +1.9%
Waiters and Waitresses $29,520 $30,060 +1.8%
General and Operations Managers $96,970 $100,930 +4.1%

Metropolitan areas and cover every industry together, so the two columns may describe wider areas than the city limits used for rent and income.

Fayetteville, NC vs Greensboro, NC: frequently asked questions

Is Greensboro, NC more expensive than Fayetteville, NC?

Yes. Prices in Greensboro, NC are about 1.4% higher than in Fayetteville, NC: a regional price level of 92.7 against 91.4, where the U.S. average is 100.

How much do I need to earn in Greensboro, NC to keep a $100,000 lifestyle from Fayetteville, NC?

About $101,400. Adjusting $100,000 by the BEA regional price levels of the two areas (91.4 in Fayetteville, NC, 92.7 in Greensboro, NC) gives the salary with the same purchasing power. Taxes and personal spending habits are not included.

Is rent cheaper in Fayetteville, NC or Greensboro, NC?

The median gross rent is $1,179 a month in Fayetteville, NC and $1,114 in Greensboro, NC, a difference of $65 a month or $780 a year.

Where are household incomes higher, Fayetteville, NC or Greensboro, NC?

The median household income is $56,395 in Fayetteville, NC and $58,884 in Greensboro, NC. Rent takes 25.1% of the median income in Fayetteville, NC and 22.7% in Greensboro, NC.

What salary do I need to afford the median rent in Greensboro, NC?

About $44,600 a year, the gross income that keeps the median rent of $1,114 a month at 30% of income. The same rule gives $47,200 in Fayetteville, NC.

More comparisons with Fayetteville, NC

More comparisons with Greensboro, NC

Open this pair in the interactive tool · All comparisons

Definitions used on this page

Salary needed for the median rent
Twelve months of median gross rent divided by 0.30: the income that keeps the median rent at 30% of gross pay.
Price level
BEA regional price parity for the metro area where one is published, otherwise for the state. The national average is 100.
Same standard of living
A salary in Fayetteville, NC converted into Greensboro, NC at the ratio of the two price levels. It adjusts for prices only, not for taxes or for what either city offers.
Buying power
One hundred divided by the price level: what a dollar buys locally relative to the national average.

Sources

Margins of error are published for every Census figure. Read the methodology before reading a small gap between two cities as a real difference.

Full detail for each city: Fayetteville, NC · Greensboro, NC