City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Waco, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Waco, TX are 3.6% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,600 in Waco, TX to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $989 a month in Little Rock, AR and $996 in Waco, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Waco, TX.
- 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 Waco, TX changes real buying power by −3.4%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Waco, TX: price level 92.5 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Waco, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 92.5 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,565 in Waco | $96,558 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $996/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $46,020 |
| 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 Waco, TX HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Waco, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Waco |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 83.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 81.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 92.5 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Waco, TX
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.4%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
58 Fair offer
Waco, TX → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
80 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 Waco, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Waco, TX | Real change, Little Rock → Waco |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Waco, TX | Waco pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $59,100 | $57,066 (−2.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $123,080 | $118,843 (+14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $76,140 | $73,519 (+11.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $92,890 | $89,692 (+10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.