City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Scranton, PA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Scranton, PA are 4.7% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $104,700 in Scranton, PA to live the same way.
- Typical 1-bedroom rents are close: $989 a month in Little Rock, AR and $1,028 in Scranton, PA.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $617 a year higher in Little Rock, AR than in Scranton, PA.
- 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 Scranton, PA changes real buying power by −4.5%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Scranton, PA: 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 | Scranton, PA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 93.6 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $104,691 in Scranton | $95,519 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,028/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% | 16% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $46,330 |
| 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 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Scranton |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 67.0 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 100.7 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 106.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.7 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 93.6 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Scranton, PA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −4.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$617/yr.
55 Fair offer
Scranton, PA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +4.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$617/yr.
83 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 Scranton, PA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Scranton, PA | Real change, Little Rock → Scranton |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Scranton, PA | Scranton pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $76,590 | $73,158 (+24.9%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $119,960 | $114,585 (+10.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $70,480 | $67,322 (+2.3%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $82,650 | $78,947 (−2.6%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.