City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Provo, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Provo, UT are 9.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $109,900 in Provo, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,265 a month in Provo, UT versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 20% of take-home pay in Provo, UT and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,534 in UT.
- 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 Provo, UT changes real buying power by −9.0%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Provo, UT: price level 98.2 (about average)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Provo, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 98.2 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $109,923 in Provo | $90,972 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,265/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,646 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,534 (UT) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 20% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $48,010 |
| 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 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Provo |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 104.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 78.6 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 98.2 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Provo, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −9.0%; rent takes 20% of take-home; state tax −$153/yr.
41 Weak offer
Provo, UT → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +9.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$153/yr.
100 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 Provo, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Provo, UT | Real change, Little Rock → Provo |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −9.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −9.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −9.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −9.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −9.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Provo, UT | Provo pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $62,930 | $57,249 (−2.3%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $131,210 | $119,365 (+14.7%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $75,700 | $68,866 (+4.6%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $81,780 | $74,397 (−8.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.