City comparison
Durham, NC vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Durham, NC are 9.2% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $109,200 in Durham, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,507 a month in Durham, NC versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Durham, NC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,481 a year in NC and $3,687 in AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Durham, NC to Little Rock, AR ($111,147 → $106,437), while prices change by −8.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +4.6% in real buying power.
- Durham, NC: price level 97.6 (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
| Durham, NC | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 97.6 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $91,588 in Little Rock | $109,185 in Durham |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,507/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,699 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,481 (NC) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $60,720 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Durham-Chapel Hill, NC and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Durham | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 98.9 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 89.3 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 97.6 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Durham, NC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
97 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Durham, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.4%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
42 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Durham, NC is in the Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Durham, NC to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Durham, NC | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Durham → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,453 | $61,722 | +4.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,983 | $74,678 | +4.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,468 | $89,508 | +4.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,147 | $106,437 | +4.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,342 | $125,776 | +4.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Durham, NC | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Durham dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $51,400 | $58,580 | $63,961 (+24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $135,620 | $104,070 | $113,629 (−16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $85,090 | $65,810 | $71,855 (−15.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | not published | $81,070 | — |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.