City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Modesto, CA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Modesto, CA are 16.5% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $116,500 in Modesto, CA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,356 a month in Modesto, CA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Modesto, CA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,383 a year higher in Modesto, CA than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +25.0% moving from Little Rock, AR to Modesto, CA ($106,437 → $133,060), while prices change by +16.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +7.3% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Modesto, CA: price level 104.1 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Modesto, CA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 104.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $116,499 in Modesto | $85,838 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,356/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $5,070 (CA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $50,610 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Modesto, CA MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Modesto, CA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Modesto |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 108.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 105.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 152.3 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 100.3 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 104.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Modesto, CA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −14.2%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,383/yr.
38 Weak offer
Modesto, CA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +16.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,383/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Modesto, CA is in San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland, CA. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Modesto, CA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Modesto, CA | Real change, Little Rock → Modesto |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $77,161 | +7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $93,358 | +7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $111,896 | +7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $133,060 | +7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $157,236 | +7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Modesto, CA | Modesto pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $101,640 | $87,246 (+48.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $119,770 | $102,808 (−1.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $83,560 | $71,726 (+9.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $132,590 | $113,812 (+40.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.