City comparison
Bridgeport, CT vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Bridgeport, CT are 19.6% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $119,600 in Bridgeport, CT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,100 a month in Bridgeport, CT versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 33% of take-home pay in Bridgeport, CT and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,925 a year in CT and $3,687 in AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Bridgeport, CT to Little Rock, AR ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −16.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Bridgeport, CT: price level 106.9 (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
| Bridgeport, CT | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 106.9 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $83,624 in Little Rock | $119,583 in Bridgeport |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $2,100/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,255 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,925 (CT) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 33% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $61,470 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Bridgeport | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 150.5 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 97.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 147.1 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 102.7 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 106.9 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Bridgeport, CT → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$238/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Bridgeport, CT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.4%; rent takes 33% of take-home; state tax +$238/yr.
25 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Bridgeport, CT is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Bridgeport, CT to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Bridgeport, CT | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Bridgeport → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Bridgeport, CT | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Bridgeport dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $98,600 | $58,580 | $70,052 (−29.0%) |
| Software Developers | $162,650 | $104,070 | $124,450 (−23.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $102,020 | $65,810 | $78,697 (−22.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $105,660 | $81,070 | $96,946 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.