City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Shreveport, LA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Little Rock, AR are 5.4% higher than in Shreveport, LA. Someone earning $100,000 in Shreveport, LA would need about $105,400 in Little Rock, AR to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $989 a month in Little Rock, AR and $982 in Shreveport, LA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,074 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Shreveport, LA.
- Both cities are in the same federal pay area (Rest of U.S.), so a GS-13 step 1 earns $106,437 in either. A transfer from Little Rock, AR to Shreveport, LA changes real buying power by +5.4%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Shreveport, LA: price level 84.8 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Shreveport, LA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 84.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $94,855 in Shreveport | $105,424 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $982/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,566 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $2,614 (LA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $44,820 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Shreveport-Bossier City, LA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Shreveport |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 52.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.7 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 72.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.7 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 84.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Shreveport, LA
Same pay goes further
Buying power +5.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$1,074/yr.
86 Strong offer
Shreveport, LA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −5.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,074/yr.
53 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Both metros are in the Rest of U.S. locality pay area, so GS salaries are identical. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Shreveport, LA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Shreveport, LA | Real change, Little Rock → Shreveport |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +5.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +5.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +5.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +5.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +5.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Shreveport, LA | Shreveport pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $61,850 | $65,205 (+11.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $96,680 | $101,924 (−2.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $70,420 | $74,240 (+12.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $80,080 | $84,424 (+4.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.