City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Utica, NY
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Utica, NY are 3.7% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $103,700 in Utica, NY to live the same way.
- Rent differs too: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $926 in Utica, NY. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 15% in Utica, NY.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,172 a year higher in Utica, NY 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 Utica, NY changes real buying power by −3.6%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Utica, NY: price level 92.7 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Utica, NY | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 92.7 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $103,708 in Utica | $96,424 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $926/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $74,320 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $4,860 (NY) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 15% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $48,970 |
| 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 Utica-Rome, NY MSA. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Utica-Rome, NY.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Utica |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 66.1 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 99.7 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 131.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 97.8 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 92.7 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Utica, NY
Same pay buys less
Buying power −3.6%; rent takes 15% of take-home; state tax +$1,172/yr.
58 Fair offer
Utica, NY → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +3.7%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,172/yr.
80 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 Utica, NY at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Utica, NY | Real change, Little Rock → Utica |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −3.6% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −3.6% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −3.6% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −3.6% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −3.6% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Utica, NY | Utica pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $77,010 | $74,256 (+26.8%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $113,390 | $109,335 (+5.1%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $79,830 | $76,975 (+17.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $94,300 | $90,928 (+12.2%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.