City comparison
El Paso, TX vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in El Paso, TX (89.9) and Little Rock, AR (89.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in El Paso, TX goes as far as $99,400 in Little Rock, AR.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $1,013 a month in El Paso, TX and $989 in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in El Paso, TX.
- 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 El Paso, TX to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +0.6%, purely from prices.
- El Paso, TX: price level 89.9 (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
| El Paso, TX | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.9 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,391 in Little Rock | $100,613 in El Paso |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,013/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $79,180 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $0 (TX) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 15% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $39,510 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: El Paso, TX HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: El Paso, TX and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | El Paso | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 71.2 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.8 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.6 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.2 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 89.9 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
El Paso, TX → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +0.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
71 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → El Paso, TX
Roughly even
Buying power −0.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
67 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 El Paso, TX to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | El Paso, TX | Little Rock, AR | Real change, El Paso → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | El Paso, TX | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in El Paso dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $63,800 | $58,580 | $58,939 (−7.6%) |
| Software Developers | $127,310 | $104,070 | $104,708 (−17.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,990 | $65,810 | $66,214 (+0.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $86,100 | $81,070 | $81,567 (−5.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.