City comparison
Fort Collins, CO vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Fort Collins, CO are 13.2% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $113,200 in Fort Collins, CO to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,537 a month in Fort Collins, CO versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Little Rock, AR ($118,675 → $106,437), while prices change by −11.6%. Net effect of the transfer: +1.5% in real buying power.
- Fort Collins, CO: price level 101.1 (about average)
- 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
| Fort Collins, CO | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 101.1 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $88,367 in Little Rock | $113,164 in Fort Collins |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,537/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 | 24% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $55,310 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Denver-Aurora, CO | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Fort Collins-Loveland, CO and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Fort Collins | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 120.6 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.1 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 82.2 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.8 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 101.1 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Fort Collins, CO → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +13.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$4/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Fort Collins, CO
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.6%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax +$4/yr.
38 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Fort Collins, 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 Fort Collins, CO to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Fort Collins, CO | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Fort Collins → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $68,819 | $61,722 | +1.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $83,265 | $74,678 | +1.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $99,800 | $89,508 | +1.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $118,675 | $106,437 | +1.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $140,239 | $125,776 | +1.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Fort Collins, CO | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Fort Collins dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $62,930 | $58,580 | $66,292 (+5.3%) |
| Software Developers | $133,990 | $104,070 | $117,770 (−12.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $89,340 | $65,810 | $74,473 (−16.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $97,600 | $81,070 | $91,742 (−6.0%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.