City comparison
Denver, CO vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Denver, CO are 18.4% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $118,400 in Denver, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,754 a month in Denver, CO versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 28% of take-home pay in Denver, CO and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,692 a year in CO and $3,687 in AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −10.3% moving from Denver, CO to Little Rock, AR ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −15.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +6.2% in real buying power.
- Denver, CO: price level 105.8 (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
| Denver, CO | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 105.8 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $84,479 in Little Rock | $118,372 in Denver |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,754/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,488 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,692 (CO) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 28% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $62,320 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Denver | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 146.9 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 101.0 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 87.9 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.4 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 105.8 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Denver, CO → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +18.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Denver, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −15.5%; rent takes 28% of take-home; state tax +$4/yr.
33 Weak offer
Federal employees: GS pay
Denver, CO is in the Denver-Aurora, CO pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Denver, CO to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Denver, CO | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Denver → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Denver, CO | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Denver dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $136,670 | $94,070 | $111,353 (−18.5%) |
| Software Developers | $137,610 | $104,070 | $123,190 (−10.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $100,020 | $65,810 | $77,901 (−22.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $101,130 | $81,070 | $95,964 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.