City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Pensacola, FL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Pensacola, FL are 9.3% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $109,300 in Pensacola, FL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,257 a month in Pensacola, FL versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 19% of take-home pay in Pensacola, 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 Pensacola, 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 Pensacola, FL changes real buying power by −8.5%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Pensacola, FL: price level 97.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Pensacola, FL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 97.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,347 in Pensacola | $91,452 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,257/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% | 19% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $46,240 |
| 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 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Pensacola |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 98.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.2 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.9 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 97.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Pensacola, FL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −8.5%; rent takes 19% of take-home; state tax −$3,687/yr.
42 Weak offer
Pensacola, FL → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.3%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$3,687/yr.
98 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 Pensacola, FL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Pensacola, FL | Real change, Little Rock → Pensacola |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −8.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −8.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −8.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −8.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −8.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Pensacola, FL | Pensacola pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $50,360 | $46,055 (−21.4%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $108,430 | $99,161 (−4.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $76,410 | $69,878 (+6.2%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $77,890 | $71,232 (−12.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.