City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Philadelphia, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Philadelphia, PA are 14.8% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $114,800 in Philadelphia, PA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,520 a month in Philadelphia, PA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Philadelphia, PA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Philadelphia, PA.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +10.2% moving from Little Rock, AR to Philadelphia, PA ($106,437 → $117,284), while prices change by +14.8%. Net effect of the transfer: −4.0% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Philadelphia, PA: price level 102.6 (pricier)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Philadelphia, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 102.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $114,760 in Philadelphia | $87,138 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,520/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $76,110 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,070 (PA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $54,310 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 113.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 114.4 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 103.1 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 102.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Philadelphia, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −12.9%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
38 Weak offer
Philadelphia, PA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +14.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
100 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Philadelphia, PA is in Philadelphia-Reading-Camden, PA-NJ-DE-MD. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Philadelphia, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Philadelphia, PA | Real change, Little Rock → Philadelphia |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $68,013 | −4.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $82,289 | −4.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $98,630 | −4.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $117,284 | −4.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $138,595 | −4.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Philadelphia, PA | Philadelphia pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $78,570 | $68,465 (+16.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $133,040 | $115,929 (+11.4%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $85,990 | $74,930 (+13.9%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $101,180 | $88,167 (+8.8%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.