City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Portland, OR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Portland, OR are 18.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $118,000 in Portland, OR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,677 a month in Portland, OR versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Portland, OR and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $4,233 a year higher in Portland, OR than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +7.7% moving from Little Rock, AR to Portland, OR ($106,437 → $114,684), while prices change by +18.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −8.7% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Portland, OR: price level 105.4 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Portland, OR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 105.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,968 in Portland | $84,769 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,677/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $71,260 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $7,920 (OR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 28% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $60,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Portland |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 125.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 107.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 100.1 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 105.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Portland, OR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.2%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4,233/yr.
33 Weak offer
Portland, OR → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4,233/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Portland, OR is in Portland-Vancouver-Salem, OR-WA. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Portland, OR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Portland, OR | Real change, Little Rock → Portland |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $66,505 | −8.7% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $80,465 | −8.7% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $96,443 | −8.7% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $114,684 | −8.7% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $135,522 | −8.7% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Portland, OR | Portland pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $82,330 | $69,790 (+19.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $156,000 | $132,239 (+27.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $92,200 | $78,157 (+18.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $130,310 | $110,462 (+36.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.