City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Reno, NV
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Reno, NV are 13.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $113,000 in Reno, NV to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,489 a month in Reno, NV versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Reno, NV and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Reno, NV.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +0.4% moving from Little Rock, AR to Reno, NV ($106,437 → $106,855), while prices change by +13.0%. Net effect of the transfer: −11.2% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Reno, NV: price level 101.0 (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 | Reno, NV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 101.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $113,037 in Reno | $88,467 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,489/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (NV) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Reno-Fernley, NV |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Reno, NV HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Reno, NV.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Reno |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 123.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.3 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 89.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.7 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 101.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Reno, NV
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.5%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
38 Weak offer
Reno, NV → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Reno, NV is in Reno-Fernley, NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Reno, NV at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Reno, NV | Real change, Little Rock → Reno |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,965 | −11.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,972 | −11.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,859 | −11.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,855 | −11.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $126,271 | −11.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Reno, NV | Reno pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $62,430 | $55,230 (−5.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $125,710 | $111,212 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $82,370 | $72,870 (+10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $107,520 | $95,120 (+17.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.