City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs McAllen, TX
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Little Rock, AR are 4.0% higher than in McAllen, TX. Someone earning $100,000 in McAllen, TX would need about $104,000 in Little Rock, AR to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $847 in McAllen, TX. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 13% in McAllen, TX.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in McAllen, TX.
- 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 Little Rock, AR to McAllen, TX changes real buying power by +4.0%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- McAllen, TX: price level 85.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | McAllen, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 85.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $96,118 in McAllen | $104,039 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $847/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (TX) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $35,830 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Rest of U.S. |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | McAllen |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 55.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 81.2 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 96.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 85.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → McAllen, TX
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
81 Strong offer
McAllen, TX → Little Rock, AR
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
57 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 Little Rock, AR to McAllen, TX at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | McAllen, TX | Real change, Little Rock → McAllen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | McAllen, TX | McAllen pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $63,110 | $65,659 (+12.1%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $116,120 | $120,810 (+16.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $64,470 | $67,074 (+1.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $80,540 | $83,793 (+3.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.