City comparison
Grand Rapids, MI vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Grand Rapids, MI are 6.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $106,900 in Grand Rapids, MI to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,278 a month in Grand Rapids, MI versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Grand Rapids, MI and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $312 a year higher in Grand Rapids, MI than in Little Rock, AR.
- 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +6.9%, purely from prices.
- Grand Rapids, MI: 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
| Grand Rapids, MI | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 95.5 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $93,530 in Little Rock | $106,918 in Grand Rapids |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,278/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,181 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,999 (MI) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $47,570 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Grand Rapids | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 86.6 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 93.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 93.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 99.6 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 95.5 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Grand Rapids, MI → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$312/yr.
90 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Grand Rapids, MI
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.5%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$312/yr.
49 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 Grand Rapids, MI to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Grand Rapids, MI | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Grand Rapids → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +6.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +6.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +6.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +6.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +6.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Grand Rapids, MI | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Grand Rapids dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $61,900 | $58,580 | $62,632 (+1.2%) |
| Software Developers | $107,520 | $104,070 | $111,269 (+3.5%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,270 | $65,810 | $70,363 (−7.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $83,920 | $81,070 | $86,678 (+3.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.