City comparison
Clarksville, TN vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Clarksville, TN are 1.8% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $101,800 in Clarksville, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,094 a month in Clarksville, TN versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Clarksville, TN 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 Clarksville, TN.
- 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 Clarksville, TN to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +1.8%, purely from prices.
- Clarksville, TN: price level 90.9 (much cheaper)
- 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
| Clarksville, TN | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 90.9 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $98,259 in Little Rock | $101,771 in Clarksville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,094/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TN) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $44,860 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Clarksville, TN-KY HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Clarksville, TN-KY and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Clarksville | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 73.8 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 72.5 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 95.5 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 90.9 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Clarksville, TN → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
74 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Clarksville, TN
Roughly even
Buying power −1.7%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
63 Fair 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 Clarksville, TN to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Clarksville, TN | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Clarksville → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Clarksville, TN | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Clarksville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $59,760 | $58,580 | $59,618 (−0.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,650 | $104,070 | $105,914 (+9.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $72,760 | $65,810 | $66,976 (−7.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $79,450 | $81,070 | $82,506 (+3.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.