City comparison
Columbia, SC vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbia, SC are 4.8% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $104,800 in Columbia, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,164 a month in Columbia, SC versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbia, SC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,156 a year higher in Columbia, SC than in Little Rock, AR.
- 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 Columbia, SC to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +4.8%, purely from prices.
- Columbia, SC: price level 93.7 (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
| Columbia, SC | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.7 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,411 in Little Rock | $104,810 in Columbia |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,164/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,430 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbia, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbia, SC and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbia | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 79.5 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.3 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 93.7 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbia, SC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,156/yr.
84 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Columbia, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.6%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax +$1,156/yr.
54 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 Columbia, SC to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbia, SC | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Columbia → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbia, SC | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Columbia dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,050 | $58,580 | $61,397 (+2.2%) |
| Software Developers | $123,380 | $104,070 | $109,075 (−11.6%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $69,210 | $65,810 | $68,975 (−0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,920 | $81,070 | $84,969 (+3.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.