City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Peoria, IL
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Peoria, IL are 2.1% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $102,100 in Peoria, IL to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $818 in Peoria, IL. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 13% in Peoria, IL.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,118 a year higher in Peoria, IL 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 Peoria, IL changes real buying power by −2.0%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Peoria, IL: price level 91.2 (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 | Peoria, IL | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 91.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $102,089 in Peoria | $97,954 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $818/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,375 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,805 (IL) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 13% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $49,590 |
| 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 Peoria, IL MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Peoria, IL.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Peoria |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 63.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 93.6 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 90.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.6 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 91.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Peoria, IL
Same pay buys less
Buying power −2.0%; rent takes 13% of take-home; state tax +$1,118/yr.
62 Fair offer
Peoria, IL → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +2.1%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,118/yr.
75 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 Peoria, IL at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Peoria, IL | Real change, Little Rock → Peoria |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −2.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −2.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −2.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −2.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −2.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Peoria, IL | Peoria pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $57,440 | $56,265 (−4.0%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $130,590 | $127,918 (+22.9%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $79,540 | $77,912 (+18.4%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $81,010 | $79,352 (−2.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.