City comparison
Baton Rouge, LA vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Baton Rouge, LA are 1.6% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $101,600 in Baton Rouge, LA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,064 a month in Baton Rouge, LA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Baton Rouge, LA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,074 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Baton Rouge, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +1.6%, purely from prices.
- Baton Rouge, LA: price level 90.8 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Baton Rouge, LA | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.8 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,440 in Little Rock | $101,585 in Baton Rouge |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,064/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,566 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $2,614 (LA) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,710 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Baton Rouge, LA HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Baton Rouge, LA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Baton Rouge | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 74.2 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 71.2 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 95.7 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 90.8 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Baton Rouge, LA → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,074/yr.
74 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Baton Rouge, LA
Roughly even
Buying power −1.6%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,074/yr.
64 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Baton Rouge, LA to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Baton Rouge, LA | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Baton Rouge → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Baton Rouge, LA | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Baton Rouge dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,310 | $58,580 | $59,508 (+0.3%) |
| Software Developers | $101,900 | $104,070 | $105,719 (+3.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $73,070 | $65,810 | $66,853 (−8.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,130 | $81,070 | $82,355 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.