City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Omaha, NE
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Omaha, NE are 2.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $102,900 in Omaha, NE to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,148 a month in Omaha, NE versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 18% of take-home pay in Omaha, NE and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,670 in NE.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +1.0% moving from Little Rock, AR to Omaha, NE ($106,437 → $107,501), while prices change by +2.9%. Net effect of the transfer: −1.8% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Omaha, NE: price level 91.9 (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 | Omaha, NE | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 91.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,850 in Omaha | $97,229 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,148/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,510 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,670 (NE) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 18% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $49,660 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Omaha-Council Bluffs, NE-IA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Omaha, NE-IA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Omaha |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 86.4 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.1 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 76.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.0 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 91.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Omaha, NE
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.8%; rent takes 18% of take-home; state tax −$17/yr.
60 Fair offer
Omaha, NE → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$17/yr.
78 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Omaha, NE is in Omaha-Council Bluffs-Fremont, NE-IA. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Omaha, NE at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Omaha, NE | Real change, Little Rock → Omaha |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $62,339 | −1.8% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $75,425 | −1.8% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $90,402 | −1.8% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $107,501 | −1.8% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $127,033 | −1.8% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Omaha, NE | Omaha pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $62,670 | $60,933 (+4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $125,220 | $121,750 (+17.0%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $77,030 | $74,895 (+13.8%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $84,600 | $82,256 (+1.5%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.