City comparison
Jackson, MS vs Little Rock, AR
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Jackson, MS (89.0) and Little Rock, AR (89.4, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Jackson, MS goes as far as $100,400 in Little Rock, AR.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,097 a month in Jackson, MS versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Jackson, MS and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $419 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Jackson, MS.
- 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 Jackson, MS to Little Rock, AR changes real buying power by −0.4%, purely from prices.
- Jackson, MS: price level 89.0 (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
| Jackson, MS | Little Rock, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.0 | 89.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $100,355 in Little Rock | $99,646 in Jackson |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $1,097/mo | $989/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,912 | $75,493 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,268 (MS) | $3,687 (AR) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 17% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $42,850 | $45,790 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Jackson, MS HUD Metro FMR Area and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Jackson, MS and Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Jackson | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 64.8 | 68.3 |
| Goods | 96.2 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 78.1 | 74.6 |
| Other services | 96.1 | 95.3 |
| Overall | 89.0 | 89.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Jackson, MS → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.4%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$419/yr.
68 Fair offer
Little Rock, AR → Jackson, MS
Roughly even
Buying power +0.4%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$419/yr.
70 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 Jackson, MS to Little Rock, AR at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Jackson, MS | Little Rock, AR | Real change, Jackson → Little Rock |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −0.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −0.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −0.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −0.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −0.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Jackson, MS | Little Rock, AR | Little Rock pay in Jackson dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $50,240 | $58,580 | $58,373 (+16.2%) |
| Software Developers | $96,990 | $104,070 | $103,702 (+6.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $70,720 | $65,810 | $65,577 (−7.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $82,630 | $81,070 | $80,783 (−2.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.