City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Minneapolis, MN
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Minneapolis, MN are 17.3% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $117,300 in Minneapolis, MN to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,405 a month in Minneapolis, MN versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Minneapolis, MN and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,589 a year higher in Minneapolis, MN than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +9.0% moving from Little Rock, AR to Minneapolis, MN ($106,437 → $116,038), while prices change by +17.3%. Net effect of the transfer: −7.1% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Minneapolis, MN: price level 104.8 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Minneapolis, MN | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 104.8 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $117,298 in Minneapolis | $85,253 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,405/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $73,903 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $5,277 (MN) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $59,320 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 111.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 103.1 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 93.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 104.4 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 104.8 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Minneapolis, MN
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.7%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax +$1,589/yr.
38 Weak offer
Minneapolis, MN → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +17.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,589/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Minneapolis, MN is in Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN-WI. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Minneapolis, MN at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Minneapolis, MN | Real change, Little Rock → Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $67,290 | −7.1% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $81,415 | −7.1% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $97,582 | −7.1% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $116,038 | −7.1% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $137,123 | −7.1% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Minneapolis, MN | Minneapolis pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $79,730 | $67,972 (+16.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $130,920 | $111,613 (+7.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $86,500 | $73,744 (+12.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $103,040 | $87,845 (+8.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.