City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Louisville, KY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Louisville, KY are 4.2% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $104,200 in Louisville, KY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,047 a month in Louisville, KY versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Louisville, KY and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $305 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Louisville, KY.
- 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 Little Rock, AR to Louisville, KY changes real buying power by −4.0%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Louisville, KY: price level 93.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Louisville, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 93.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,152 in Louisville | $96,014 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,047/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,798 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,382 (KY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $48,370 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Louisville, KY-IN HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Louisville |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 78.6 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 75.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.8 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 93.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Louisville, KY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.0%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$305/yr.
56 Fair offer
Louisville, KY → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$305/yr.
82 Strong 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 Little Rock, AR to Louisville, KY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Louisville, KY | Real change, Little Rock → Louisville |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Louisville, KY | Louisville pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $61,610 | $59,154 (+1.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $110,270 | $105,875 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $76,320 | $73,278 (+11.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $84,850 | $81,468 (+0.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.