City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Winston, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Winston, NC are 3.0% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,000 in Winston, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,082 a month in Winston, NC versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Winston, NC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,481 in NC.
- 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 Winston, NC changes real buying power by −2.9%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Winston, NC: price level 92.0 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Winston, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 92.0 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,998 in Winston | $97,089 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,082/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $46,380 |
| 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 Winston-Salem, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Winston-Salem, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Winston |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 71.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 92.0 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Winston, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.9%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
60 Fair offer
Winston, NC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.0%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
78 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 Winston, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Winston, NC | Real change, Little Rock → Winston |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Winston, NC | Winston pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $56,510 | $54,865 (−6.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $124,130 | $120,517 (+15.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $78,950 | $76,652 (+16.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $86,120 | $83,613 (+3.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.