City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Portland, ME
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, ME are 14.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $114,000 in Portland, ME to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,658 a month in Portland, ME versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 27% of take-home pay in Portland, ME and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,967 a year higher in Portland, ME than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +13.3% moving from Little Rock, AR to Portland, ME ($106,437 → $120,548), while prices change by +14.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −0.6% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Portland, ME: price level 101.9 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Portland, ME | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 101.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,981 in Portland | $87,734 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,658/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $73,526 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $5,654 (ME) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 27% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $56,960 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland, ME HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Portland-South Portland, ME.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 105.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 134.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 103.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 101.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Portland, ME
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.3%; rent takes 27% of take-home; state tax +$1,967/yr.
34 Weak offer
Portland, ME → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,967/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, ME is in Boston-Worcester-Providence, MA-RI-NH-CT-ME-VT. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Portland, ME at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Portland, ME | Real change, Little Rock → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,905 | −0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,579 | −0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $101,375 | −0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,548 | −0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $142,452 | −0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Portland, ME | Portland pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $76,770 | $67,353 (+15.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $128,710 | $112,922 (+8.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $79,790 | $70,003 (+6.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $88,470 | $77,618 (−4.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.