City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Raleigh, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Raleigh, NC are 9.8% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $109,800 in Raleigh, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,596 a month in Raleigh, NC versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Raleigh, NC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,481 in NC.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +4.4% moving from Little Rock, AR to Raleigh, NC ($106,437 → $111,147), while prices change by +9.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.9% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Raleigh, NC: price level 98.2 (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 | Raleigh, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,840 in Raleigh | $91,042 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,596/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 25% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $51,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Raleigh-Cary, NC MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Raleigh-Cary, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Raleigh |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 103.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 89.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Raleigh, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
40 Weak offer
Raleigh, NC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
99 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Raleigh, NC is in Raleigh-Durham-Cary, NC. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Raleigh, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Raleigh, NC | Real change, Little Rock → Raleigh |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $64,453 | −4.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $77,983 | −4.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $93,468 | −4.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $111,147 | −4.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $131,342 | −4.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Raleigh, NC | Raleigh pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $60,170 | $54,780 (−6.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $132,770 | $120,876 (+16.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $81,950 | $74,609 (+13.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $84,830 | $77,231 (−4.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.