City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Madison, WI
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Madison, WI are 8.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $108,900 in Madison, WI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,482 a month in Madison, WI versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Madison, WI and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,919 in WI.
- 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 Madison, WI changes real buying power by −8.1%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Madison, WI: price level 97.3 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Madison, WI | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 97.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $108,866 in Madison | $91,856 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,482/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,261 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,919 (WI) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $58,080 |
| 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 Madison, WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Madison, WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Madison |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 99.7 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 89.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.4 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 97.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Madison, WI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.1%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$232/yr.
43 Weak offer
Madison, WI → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +8.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$232/yr.
96 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 Madison, WI at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Madison, WI | Real change, Little Rock → Madison |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Madison, WI | Madison pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $63,690 | $58,503 (−0.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $130,630 | $119,992 (+15.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $81,130 | $74,523 (+13.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $101,190 | $92,949 (+14.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.