City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Salt Lake City, UT
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Salt Lake City, UT are 12.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $112,900 in Salt Lake City, UT to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,456 a month in Salt Lake City, UT versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 23% of take-home pay in Salt Lake City, 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 Salt Lake City, UT changes real buying power by −11.4%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Salt Lake City, UT: price level 100.9 (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 | Salt Lake City, UT | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 100.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $112,873 in Salt Lake City | $88,595 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,456/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% | 23% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $55,240 |
| 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 Salt Lake City, UT HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Salt Lake City-Murray, UT.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 123.3 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.4 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 79.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 99.0 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 100.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Salt Lake City, UT
Same pay buys less
Buying power −11.4%; rent takes 23% of take-home; state tax −$153/yr.
38 Weak offer
Salt Lake City, UT → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +12.9%; 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 Salt Lake City, UT at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Salt Lake City, UT | Real change, Little Rock → Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −11.4% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −11.4% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −11.4% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −11.4% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −11.4% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Salt Lake City, UT | Salt Lake City pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $77,920 | $69,033 (+17.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $129,600 | $114,819 (+10.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $82,100 | $72,736 (+10.5%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $85,890 | $76,094 (−6.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.