City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Sacramento, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Sacramento, CA are 19.4% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $119,400 in Sacramento, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,832 a month in Sacramento, CA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 30% of take-home pay in Sacramento, CA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,383 a year higher in Sacramento, CA than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.8% moving from Little Rock, AR to Sacramento, CA ($106,437 → $117,984), while prices change by +19.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Sacramento, CA: price level 106.7 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Sacramento, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 106.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $119,366 in Sacramento | $83,776 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,832/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 30% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $59,750 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Sacramento--Roseville--Arden-Arcade, CA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Sacramento |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 130.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 151.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 106.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Sacramento, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −16.2%; rent takes 30% of take-home; state tax +$1,383/yr.
31 Weak offer
Sacramento, CA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +19.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,383/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Sacramento, CA is in Sacramento-Roseville, CA-NV. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Sacramento, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Sacramento, CA | Real change, Little Rock → Sacramento |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,419 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,780 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $99,218 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,984 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $139,422 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $103,390 | $86,616 (+47.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $139,640 | $116,985 (+12.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $92,110 | $77,166 (+17.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $171,460 | $143,643 (+77.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.