City comparison
Columbus, OH vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Columbus, OH are 6.8% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $106,800 in Columbus, OH to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,194 a month in Columbus, OH versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Columbus, OH and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,720 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Columbus, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −4.2% moving from Columbus, OH to Little Rock, AR ($111,065 → $106,437), while prices change by −6.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +2.4% in real buying power.
- Columbus, OH: price level 95.5 (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
| Columbus, OH | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,605 in Little Rock | $106,832 in Columbus |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,194/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $77,212 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $1,968 (OH) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $51,340 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Columbus, OH HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Columbus, OH and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Columbus | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 87.9 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.5 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Columbus, OH → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,720/yr.
90 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Columbus, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$1,720/yr.
49 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Columbus, OH is in the Columbus-Marion-Zanesville, OH pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Columbus, OH to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Columbus, OH | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Columbus → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,406 | $61,722 | +2.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,926 | $74,678 | +2.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $93,400 | $89,508 | +2.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $111,065 | $106,437 | +2.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $131,245 | $125,776 | +2.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Columbus, OH | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Columbus dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $78,150 | $58,580 | $62,582 (−19.9%) |
| Software Developers | $122,340 | $104,070 | $111,180 (−9.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $81,700 | $65,810 | $70,306 (−13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,900 | $81,070 | $86,608 (+3.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.