Salary Comparison
Pipelayers: Fayetteville vs Lake Forest
Side-by-side salary, take-home pay, cost of living, and lifestyle score.
Fayetteville, NC
$49,939/yr
Lake Forest, CA
$82,090/yr
Our recommendation: Lake Forest, CA
Lake Forest offers $543 more per month in disposable income, giving a stronger financial outcome despite comparable pay.
Full Breakdown
Fayetteville
Lake Forest
Diff (A−B)
Annual Gross Salary
$49,939
$82,090
$32,151
A vs B
Monthly Take-Home
After estimated federal + state taxes
$3,038
$4,994
$1,956
A vs B
Cost of Living Index
Lower is more affordable. US avg = 100
77
134
-57 pts
A vs B
Monthly Living Costs
Housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare
$2,060
$3,473
$1,413
A vs B
Monthly Rent
$1,080
$1,997
$917
A vs B
Monthly Disposable
$978
$1,521
$543
A vs B
Purchasing Power Score
Take-home ÷ living costs. Higher is better
1.47×
1.44×
+0.03×
A vs B
Lifestyle Score
5/10 (Tight)
5/10 (Tight)
+0
A vs B
Fayetteville — Full Details
Lake Forest — Full Details
Salary estimates based on BLS metro data. Cost of living from regional price indices. All figures are estimates; verify with employers before making decisions.