City comparison
Cape Coral, FL vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Cape Coral, FL are 14.5% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $114,500 in Cape Coral, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,638 a month in Cape Coral, FL versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 25% of take-home pay in Cape Coral, 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 Cape Coral, 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 Cape Coral, FL to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +14.5%, purely from prices.
- Cape Coral, FL: price level 102.3 (pricier)
- 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
| Cape Coral, FL | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 102.3 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $87,313 in Little Rock | $114,530 in Cape Coral |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,638/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (FL) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 25% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,780 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Cape Coral | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 125.1 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 86.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 102.3 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Cape Coral, FL → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Cape Coral, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.7%; rent takes 25% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
38 Weak 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 Cape Coral, FL to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Cape Coral, FL | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Cape Coral → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +14.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +14.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +14.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +14.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +14.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Cape Coral, FL | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Cape Coral dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,470 | $58,580 | $67,092 (+11.0%) |
| Software Developers | $126,940 | $104,070 | $119,192 (−6.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,420 | $65,810 | $75,372 (−5.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,860 | $81,070 | $92,850 (+12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.