City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Wichita, KS
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Overall prices in Little Rock, AR (89.4) and Wichita, KS (88.9, U.S. average = 100) are within 1% of each other, so $100,000 in Little Rock, AR goes as far as $99,500 in Wichita, KS.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $989 a month in Little Rock, AR versus $849 in Wichita, KS. On $100,000, that's 16% of take-home pay in Little Rock, AR and 14% in Wichita, KS.
- On $100,000, estimated state income tax is about $1,093 a year higher in Wichita, KS 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 Wichita, KS changes real buying power by +0.5%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Wichita, KS: price level 88.9 (much cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Wichita, KS | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 88.9 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $99,532 in Wichita | $100,470 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $849/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 (KS) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 14% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $47,630 |
| 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 Wichita, KS HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Wichita, KS.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Wichita |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 66.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 94.0 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 88.5 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 93.8 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 88.9 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Wichita, KS
Roughly even
Buying power +0.5%; rent takes 14% of take-home; state tax +$1,093/yr.
70 Strong offer
Wichita, KS → Little Rock, AR
Roughly even
Buying power −0.5%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax −$1,093/yr.
67 Fair 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 Wichita, KS at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Wichita, KS | Real change, Little Rock → Wichita |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | +0.5% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | +0.5% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | +0.5% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | +0.5% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | +0.5% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Wichita, KS | Wichita pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $58,640 | $58,916 (+0.6%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $105,980 | $106,478 (+2.3%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $79,270 | $79,643 (+21.0%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $76,540 | $76,900 (−5.1%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.