City comparison
Greenville, SC vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Greenville, SC are 4.4% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $104,400 in Greenville, SC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,221 a month in Greenville, SC versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Greenville, SC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,156 a year higher in Greenville, SC 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 Greenville, SC to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by +4.4%, purely from prices.
- Greenville, SC: price level 93.3 (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
| Greenville, SC | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 93.3 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $95,822 in Little Rock | $104,360 in Greenville |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,221/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $74,337 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $4,843 (SC) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 20% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $46,580 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Greenville-Mauldin-Easley, SC HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Greenville | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 76.8 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.3 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 88.8 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 98.3 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 93.3 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Greenville, SC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,156/yr.
82 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Greenville, SC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.2%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax +$1,156/yr.
56 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 Greenville, SC to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Greenville, SC | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Greenville → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Greenville, SC | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Greenville dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $60,680 | $58,580 | $61,134 (+0.7%) |
| Software Developers | $121,790 | $104,070 | $108,607 (−10.8%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,870 | $65,810 | $68,679 (−10.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,400 | $81,070 | $84,604 (+3.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.