City comparison
Harrisburg, PA vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Harrisburg, PA are 10.4% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $110,400 in Harrisburg, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,212 a month in Harrisburg, PA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Harrisburg, PA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Harrisburg, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by −2.0% moving from Harrisburg, PA to Little Rock, AR ($108,592 → $106,437), while prices change by −9.4%. Net effect of the transfer: +8.2% in real buying power.
- Harrisburg, PA: price level 98.7 (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
| Harrisburg, PA | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 98.7 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $90,587 in Little Rock | $110,391 in Harrisburg |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,212/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $76,110 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,070 (PA) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 19% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $49,610 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA MSA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Harrisburg | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 96.3 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 100.7 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 108.1 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 97.7 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 98.7 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Harrisburg, PA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +10.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
100 Strong offer
Little Rock, AR → Harrisburg, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.4%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
39 Weak offer
On the GS pay scale?
Harrisburg, PA is in the Harrisburg-Lebanon, PA pay area; Little Rock, AR is in Rest of U.S.. The last column shows what a transfer from Harrisburg, PA to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Harrisburg, PA | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Harrisburg → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $62,972 | $61,722 | +8.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $76,190 | $74,678 | +8.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $91,320 | $89,508 | +8.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $108,592 | $106,437 | +8.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $128,323 | $125,776 | +8.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Harrisburg, PA | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Harrisburg dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $77,160 | $58,580 | $64,667 (−16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $109,470 | $104,070 | $114,884 (+4.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $76,510 | $65,810 | $72,648 (−5.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $96,770 | $81,070 | $89,494 (−7.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.