City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Ocala, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ocala, FL are 6.6% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $106,600 in Ocala, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,172 a month in Ocala, FL versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Ocala, FL 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 Ocala, FL.
- 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 Ocala, FL changes real buying power by −6.2%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Ocala, FL: price level 95.2 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Ocala, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 95.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $106,569 in Ocala | $93,836 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,172/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $79,180 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $0 (FL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $43,990 |
| 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 Ocala, FL MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Ocala, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Ocala |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 86.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 87.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 95.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Ocala, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −6.2%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
49 Fair offer
Ocala, FL → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +6.6%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
89 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 Ocala, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Ocala, FL | Real change, Little Rock → Ocala |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −6.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −6.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −6.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −6.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −6.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Ocala, FL | Ocala pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $57,540 | $53,993 (−7.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $112,780 | $105,829 (+1.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $74,370 | $69,786 (+6.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $79,230 | $74,346 (−8.3%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.