City comparison
Allentown, PA vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Allentown, PA are 11.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $111,900 in Allentown, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,341 a month in Allentown, PA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 21% of take-home pay in Allentown, PA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Allentown, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −15.1% moving from Allentown, PA to Little Rock, AR ($125,431 → $106,437), while prices change by −10.6%. Net effect of the transfer: −5.1% in real buying power.
- Allentown, PA: price level 100.0 (about average)
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Allentown, PA | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 100.0 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $89,393 in Little Rock | $111,866 in Allentown |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,341/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 21% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $48,990 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Allentown | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 105.5 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 100.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 107.6 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 97.8 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 100.0 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Allentown, PA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +11.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Allentown, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.6%; rent takes 21% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Allentown, PA is in the New York-Newark, NY-NJ-CT-PA pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Allentown, PA to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Allentown, PA | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Allentown → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $72,737 | $61,722 | −5.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $88,005 | $74,678 | −5.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $105,481 | $89,508 | −5.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $125,431 | $106,437 | −5.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $148,222 | $125,776 | −5.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Allentown, PA | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Allentown dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $79,040 | $58,580 | $65,531 (−17.1%) |
| Software Developers | $122,930 | $104,070 | $116,419 (−5.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $78,430 | $65,810 | $73,619 (−6.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,440 | $81,070 | $90,690 (−10.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.