City comparison
Anchorage, AK vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Anchorage, AK are 18.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $118,000 in Anchorage, AK to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,243 a month in Anchorage, AK versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Anchorage, AK and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Anchorage, AK.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −11.6% moving from Anchorage, AK to Little Rock, AR ($120,348 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.2%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.3% in real buying power.
- Anchorage, AK: price level 105.4 (pricier)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Anchorage, AK | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.4 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,769 in Little Rock | $117,967 in Anchorage |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,243/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (AK) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,200 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | State of Alaska | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Anchorage, AK HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Anchorage, AK and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Anchorage | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 109.9 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 107.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 111.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 103.3 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 105.4 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Anchorage, AK → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Anchorage, AK
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Anchorage, AK is in the State of Alaska pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Anchorage, AK to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Anchorage, AK | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Anchorage → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $69,789 | $61,722 | +4.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $84,439 | $74,678 | +4.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $101,206 | $89,508 | +4.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $120,348 | $106,437 | +4.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $142,216 | $125,776 | +4.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Anchorage, AK | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Anchorage dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,270 | $58,580 | $69,105 (−12.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,030 | $104,070 | $122,768 (+18.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $82,150 | $65,810 | $77,634 (−5.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $115,290 | $81,070 | $95,636 (−17.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.