City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Roanoke, VA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent, state taxes and federal GS pay.
Key findings
- Prices in Roanoke, VA are 4.8% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $104,800 in Roanoke, VA to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,053 a month in Roanoke, VA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 17% of take-home pay in Roanoke, VA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,249 a year higher in Roanoke, VA 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 Roanoke, VA changes real buying power by −4.5%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Roanoke, VA: price level 93.6 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Roanoke, VA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,760 in Roanoke | $95,456 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,053/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,244 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,936 (VA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 17% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $47,140 |
| 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 Roanoke, VA HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Roanoke, VA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Roanoke |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 78.5 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.8 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.6 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Roanoke, VA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 17% of take-home; state tax +$1,249/yr.
55 Fair offer
Roanoke, VA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.8%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,249/yr.
84 Strong offer
Federal employees: GS pay
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 Roanoke, VA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Roanoke, VA | Real change, Little Rock → Roanoke |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −4.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −4.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −4.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −4.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −4.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Roanoke, VA | Roanoke pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Information Security Analysts | $94,070 | $122,380 | $116,819 (+24.2%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $121,110 | $115,607 (+11.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $77,240 | $73,730 (+12.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $80,090 | $76,451 (−5.7%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.