City comparison

Little Rock, AR vs New Orleans, LA

What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.

Key findings

Prices in New Orleans, LA are 3.6% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,600 in New Orleans, LA to live the same way.
Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,113 a month in New Orleans, LA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in New Orleans, LA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,074 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in New Orleans, LA.
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 New Orleans, LA changes real buying power by −3.5%, purely from prices.

Little RockNew Orleans

Price level (U.S. = 100):Under 9292–9898–102102–108Over 108

Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
New Orleans, LA: price level 92.6 (cheaper)

Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations^9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels².

Side by side

	Little Rock, AR	New Orleans, LA
Price level (U.S. = 100)²	89.4	92.6
$100,000 is worth, in the other city²	$103,618 in New Orleans	$96,509 in Little Rock
Typical 1-bedroom rent³	$989/mo	$1,113/mo
Take-home on $100,000^14,15,8	$75,493	$76,566
State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)⁸	$3,687 (AR)	$2,614 (LA)
Rent burden on $100,000	16%	17%
Median pay, all jobs⁴	$45,790	$47,290
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 New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and New Orleans-Metairie, LA.

What costs more or less

Little Rock, ARNew Orleans, LA

Price level (U.S. = 100)	Little Rock	New Orleans
Housing (rent)	68.3	86.0
Goods	93.6	93.7
Utilities	74.6	71.2
Other services	95.3	95.7
Overall	89.4	92.6

BEA Regional Price Parities². Housing covers rents.

Moving with the same $100,000 salary

Little Rock, AR → New Orleans, LA

Same pay buys less

Buying power −3.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$1,074/yr.

58 Fair offer

New Orleans, LA → Little Rock, AR

Same pay goes further

Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,074/yr.

80 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 New Orleans, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.

Grade^5,2	Little Rock, AR	New Orleans, LA	Real change, Little Rock → New Orleans
GS-9 step 1	$61,722	$61,722	−3.5%
GS-11 step 1	$74,678	$74,678	−3.5%
GS-12 step 1	$89,508	$89,508	−3.5%
GS-13 step 1	$106,437	$106,437	−3.5%
GS-14 step 1	$125,776	$125,776	−3.5%

Pay for common jobs

Median annual pay⁴	Little Rock, AR	New Orleans, LA	New Orleans pay in Little Rock dollars
Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education	$58,580	$60,350	$58,243 (−0.6%)
Software Developers	$104,070	$106,950	$103,216 (−0.8%)
Accountants and Auditors	$65,810	$77,940	$75,219 (+14.3%)
Registered Nurses	$81,070	$81,850	$78,992 (−2.6%)

"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.

Taxes are estimates for a single filer taking the standard deduction; city and county income taxes are not included. See the methodology.