City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Ogden, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Ogden, UT are 12.3% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $112,300 in Ogden, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,281 a month in Ogden, UT versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Ogden, UT and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,534 in UT.
- 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 Ogden, UT changes real buying power by −10.9%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Ogden, UT: price level 100.3 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Ogden, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 100.3 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,292 in Ogden | $89,053 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,281/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $48,900 |
| 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 Ogden, UT MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Ogden, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Ogden |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 117.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 78.8 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 100.3 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Ogden, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −10.9%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$153/yr.
38 Weak offer
Ogden, UT → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$153/yr.
100 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 Ogden, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Ogden, UT | Real change, Little Rock → Ogden |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −10.9% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −10.9% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −10.9% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −10.9% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −10.9% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Ogden, UT | Ogden pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $63,910 | $56,914 (−2.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $109,880 | $97,852 (−6.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $82,010 | $73,033 (+11.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $81,840 | $72,881 (−10.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.