City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Tampa, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Tampa, FL are 12.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $112,900 in Tampa, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,696 a month in Tampa, FL versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 26% of take-home pay in Tampa, FL 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 Tampa, FL.
- 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 Tampa, FL changes real buying power by −11.4%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Tampa, FL: price level 100.9 (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 | Tampa, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,898 in Tampa | $88,576 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,696/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 26% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $48,940 |
| 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 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Tampa |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 125.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 95.5 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.6 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Tampa, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 26% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
36 Weak offer
Tampa, FL → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
100 Strong 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 Tampa, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Tampa, FL | Real change, Little Rock → Tampa |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Tampa, FL | Tampa pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $60,120 | $53,252 (−9.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $130,450 | $115,547 (+11.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $78,990 | $69,966 (+6.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $85,470 | $75,706 (−6.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.