City comparison
Dayton, OH vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Dayton, OH are 3.7% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,700 in Dayton, OH to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,009 a month in Dayton, OH and $989 in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,720 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Dayton, OH.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −3.6% moving from Dayton, OH to Little Rock, AR ($110,401 → $106,437), while prices change by −3.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +0.0% in real buying power.
- Dayton, OH: price level 92.7 (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
| Dayton, OH | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 92.7 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,408 in Little Rock | $103,726 in Dayton |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,009/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 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,980 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Dayton | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 72.7 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 95.4 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.9 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 92.7 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Dayton, OH → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$1,720/yr.
80 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Dayton, OH
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,720/yr.
58 Fair offer
On the GS pay scale?
Dayton, OH is in the Dayton-Springfield-Kettering, OH pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Dayton, OH to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Dayton, OH | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Dayton → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $64,021 | $61,722 | +0.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $77,460 | $74,678 | +0.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $92,841 | $89,508 | +0.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $110,401 | $106,437 | +0.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $130,461 | $125,776 | +0.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Dayton, OH | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Dayton dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $80,360 | $58,580 | $60,763 (−24.4%) |
| Software Developers | $106,910 | $104,070 | $107,948 (+1.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $79,030 | $65,810 | $68,262 (−13.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,510 | $81,070 | $84,091 (+1.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.