City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Springfield, MA
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Springfield, MA are 7.5% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $107,500 in Springfield, MA to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,382 a month in Springfield, MA versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 22% of take-home pay in Springfield, MA and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,093 a year higher in Springfield, MA than in Little Rock, AR.
- For federal employees, locality pay changes a GS-13 step 1 salary by +12.8% moving from Little Rock, AR to Springfield, MA ($106,437 → $120,094), while prices change by +7.5%. Net effect of the transfer: +5.0% in real buying power.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Springfield, MA: price level 96.1 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Springfield, MA | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 96.1 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,494 in Springfield | $93,028 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,382/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,400 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,780 (MA) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 22% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $51,930 |
| Federal locality pay area7 | Rest of U.S. | Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA |
Rent areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR HUD Metro FMR Area and Springfield, MA MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Springfield, MA.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Springfield |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 75.8 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 97.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 155.0 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 101.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 96.1 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Springfield, MA
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.0%; rent takes 22% of take-home; state tax +$1,093/yr.
47 Fair offer
Springfield, MA → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,093/yr.
92 Strong offer
On the GS pay scale?
Little Rock, AR is in the Rest of U.S. pay area; Springfield, MA is in Hartford-East Hartford, CT-MA. The last column shows what a transfer from Little Rock, AR to Springfield, MA at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Springfield, MA | Real change, Little Rock → Springfield |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $69,642 | +5.0% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $84,260 | +5.0% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $100,992 | +5.0% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $120,094 | +5.0% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $141,915 | +5.0% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Springfield, MA | Springfield pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $79,640 | $74,088 (+26.5%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $127,740 | $118,834 (+14.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $92,010 | $85,595 (+30.1%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $98,410 | $91,549 (+12.9%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.