City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Oklahoma City, OK
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Oklahoma City, OK are 1.2% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $101,200 in Oklahoma City, OK to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $989 a month in Little Rock, AR and $1,017 in Oklahoma City, OK.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $267 a year higher in Oklahoma City, OK than in Little Rock, AR.
- 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 Oklahoma City, OK changes real buying power by −1.2%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Oklahoma City, OK: price level 90.4 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Oklahoma City, OK | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 90.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $101,168 in Oklahoma City | $98,845 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,017/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,226 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,955 (OK) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $47,230 |
| 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 Oklahoma City, OK HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Oklahoma City, OK.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 73.9 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 74.1 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 95.5 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 90.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Oklahoma City, OK
Roughly even
Buying power −1.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$267/yr.
65 Fair offer
Oklahoma City, OK → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power +1.2%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$267/yr.
72 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 Oklahoma City, OK at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Oklahoma City, OK | Real change, Little Rock → Oklahoma City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −1.2% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −1.2% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −1.2% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −1.2% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −1.2% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Oklahoma City, OK | Oklahoma City pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $48,780 | $48,217 (−17.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $122,390 | $120,977 (+16.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $77,280 | $76,388 (+16.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $82,920 | $81,962 (+1.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.