City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Memphis, TN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Memphis, TN are 3.2% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,200 in Memphis, TN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,154 a month in Memphis, TN versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Memphis, TN and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $3,687 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Memphis, TN.
- 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 Memphis, TN changes real buying power by −3.1%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Memphis, TN: price level 92.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Memphis, TN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 92.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,150 in Memphis | $96,946 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,154/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (TN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $46,890 |
| 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 Memphis, TN-MS-AR HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Memphis, TN-MS-AR.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Memphis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 79.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.4 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 92.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Memphis, TN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.1%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
59 Fair offer
Memphis, TN → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
79 Strong 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 Memphis, TN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Memphis, TN | Real change, Little Rock → Memphis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Memphis, TN | Memphis pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $61,510 | $59,632 (+1.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $125,580 | $121,745 (+17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $76,960 | $74,610 (+13.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $81,500 | $79,011 (−2.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.