City comparison
Little Rock, AR vs Wilmington, NC
What a paycheck is really worth in each city: prices, rent and state taxes.
Key findings
- Prices in Wilmington, NC are 7.9% higher than in Little Rock, AR. Someone earning $100,000 in Little Rock, AR would need about $107,900 in Wilmington, NC to live the same way.
- Rent is the bigger story: a typical 1-bedroom costs $1,513 a month in Wilmington, NC versus $989 in Little Rock, AR. On $100,000, that's 24% of take-home pay in Wilmington, NC and 16% in Little Rock, AR.
- Estimated state income tax on $100,000 is close: $3,687 a year in AR and $3,481 in NC.
- 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 Wilmington, NC changes real buying power by −7.3%, purely from prices.
- Little Rock, AR: price level 89.4 (much cheaper)
- Wilmington, NC: price level 96.4 (cheaper)
Map drawn from Census Bureau state boundaries and metro locations9,10; dot colours show BEA price levels2.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Wilmington, NC | |
|---|---|---|
| Price level (U.S. = 100)2 | 89.4 | 96.4 |
| $100,000 is worth, in the other city2 | $107,898 in Wilmington | $92,680 in Little Rock |
| Typical 1-bedroom rent3 | $989/mo | $1,513/mo |
| Take-home on $100,00014,15,8 | $75,493 | $75,699 |
| State income tax on $100,000 (estimate)8 | $3,687 (AR) | $3,481 (NC) |
| Rent burden on $100,000 | 16% | 24% |
| Median pay, all jobs4 | $45,790 | $45,800 |
| 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 Wilmington, NC HUD Metro FMR Area. Metro areas: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR and Wilmington, NC.
What costs more or less
| Price level (U.S. = 100) | Little Rock | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Housing (rent) | 68.3 | 93.2 |
| Goods | 93.6 | 96.6 |
| Utilities | 74.6 | 87.9 |
| Other services | 95.3 | 98.2 |
| Overall | 89.4 | 96.4 |
Moving with the same $100,000 salary
Little Rock, AR → Wilmington, NC
Same pay buys less
Buying power −7.3%; rent takes 24% of take-home; state tax −$206/yr.
46 Fair offer
Wilmington, NC → Little Rock, AR
Same pay goes further
Buying power +7.9%; rent takes 16% of take-home; state tax +$206/yr.
93 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 Wilmington, NC at the same grade and step does to real buying power.
| Grade5,2 | Little Rock, AR | Wilmington, NC | Real change, Little Rock → Wilmington |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-9 step 1 | $61,722 | $61,722 | −7.3% |
| GS-11 step 1 | $74,678 | $74,678 | −7.3% |
| GS-12 step 1 | $89,508 | $89,508 | −7.3% |
| GS-13 step 1 | $106,437 | $106,437 | −7.3% |
| GS-14 step 1 | $125,776 | $125,776 | −7.3% |
Pay for common jobs
| Median annual pay4 | Little Rock, AR | Wilmington, NC | Wilmington pay in Little Rock dollars |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | $58,580 | $48,240 | $44,709 (−23.7%) |
| Software Developers | $104,070 | $123,730 | $114,673 (+10.2%) |
| Accountants and Auditors | $65,810 | $77,920 | $72,216 (+9.7%) |
| Registered Nurses | $81,070 | $80,970 | $75,043 (−7.4%) |
"Not published" means BLS doesn't release an estimate for that job in that metro.