City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Santa Maria, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Santa Maria, CA are 21.7% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $121,700 in Santa Maria, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $2,746 a month in Santa Maria, CA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 44% of take-home pay in Santa Maria, CA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,383 a year higher in Santa Maria, CA than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +16.6% moving from Little Rock, AR to Santa Maria, CA ($106,437 → $124,085), while prices change by +21.7%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.2% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Santa Maria, CA: price level 108.8 (much pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Santa Maria, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 108.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $121,747 in Santa Maria | $82,138 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $2,746/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% | 44% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $51,690 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 151.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 149.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 108.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Santa Maria, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −17.9%; rent takes 44% of take-home; state tax +$1,383/yr.
8 Weak offer
Santa Maria, CA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +21.7%; 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; Santa Maria, CA is in Los Angeles-Long Beach, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Santa Maria, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Santa Maria, CA | Real change, Little Rock → Santa Maria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $71,957 | −4.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $87,061 | −4.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $104,349 | −4.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $124,085 | −4.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $146,632 | −4.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $101,030 | $82,984 (+41.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $158,290 | $130,016 (+24.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $91,610 | $75,246 (+14.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $137,360 | $112,824 (+39.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.