City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs St. Louis, MO
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in St. Louis, MO are 6.4% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $106,400 in St. Louis, MO to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $989 a month in Little Rock, AR and $995 in St. Louis, MO.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,763 in MO.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +2.5% moving from Little Rock, AR to St. Louis, MO ($106,437 → $109,137), while prices change by +6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: −3.6% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- St. Louis, MO: price level 95.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | St. Louis, MO | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 95.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,405 in St. Louis | $93,980 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $995/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,417 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,763 (MO) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $49,990 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and St. Louis, MO-IL HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and St. Louis, MO-IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | St. Louis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 79.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 69.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 95.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → St. Louis, MO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$75/yr.
50 Fair offer
St. Louis, MO → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$75/yr.
89 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; St. Louis, MO is in St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, MO-IL. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to St. Louis, MO at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | St. Louis, MO | Real change, Little Rock → St. Louis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $63,288 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $76,573 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $91,779 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $109,137 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $128,967 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $60,650 | $56,999 (−2.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $129,030 | $121,263 (+16.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $78,880 | $74,132 (+12.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $83,180 | $78,173 (−3.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.