City comparison
Detroit, MI vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Detroit, MI are 12.2% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $112,200 in Detroit, MI to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,122 a month in Detroit, MI versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Detroit, MI and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $312 a year higher in Detroit, MI than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −9.3% moving from Detroit, MI to Little Rock, AR ($117,402 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.9%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.8% in real buying power.
- Detroit, MI: price level 100.3 (about average)
- 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
| Detroit, MI | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.3 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,098 in Little Rock | $112,235 in Detroit |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,122/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 18% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $52,080 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Detroit-Warren-Livonia, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Detroit | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 94.7 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 98.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.0 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 102.6 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 100.3 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Detroit, MI → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$312/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Detroit, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax +$312/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Detroit, MI is in the Detroit-Warren-Ann Arbor, MI pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Detroit, MI to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Detroit, MI | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Detroit → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,081 | $61,722 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $82,372 | $74,678 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $98,729 | $89,508 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $117,402 | $106,437 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $138,734 | $125,776 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Detroit, MI | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Detroit dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $65,210 | $58,580 | $65,747 (+0.8%) |
| Software Developers | $130,760 | $104,070 | $116,803 (−10.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $80,650 | $65,810 | $73,862 (−8.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,280 | $81,070 | $90,989 (−6.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.