Cost of Living in Little Rock, AR
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR — prices, rents and what jobs really pay here after taxes.
Salary comparison calculator
What would you need to earn in Little Rock, AR to keep the same lifestyle — after taxes — as in another city?
How expensive is Little Rock, AR?
With a price level of 89.4 (U.S. average = 100), Little Rock, AR is one of the most affordable places in the country. In detail, housing costs are 32% below average; everyday goods are 6% below average; utilities are 25% below average; other services such as healthcare and dining are 5% below average. The biggest difference from the national average is in housing.
Prices in Little Rock, AR vs. the U.S. average
| Category | Index (U.S. = 100) | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 89.4 | −10.6% |
| Housing | 68.3 | −31.7% |
| Goods | 93.6 | −6.4% |
| Utilities | 74.6 | −25.4% |
| Other services | 95.3 | −4.7% |
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Rent in Little Rock, AR
| Unit | Monthly rent | Income needed (30% rule) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio | $979 | $39,160/yr |
| 1 bedroom | $984 | $39,360/yr |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,143 | $45,720/yr |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,532 | $61,280/yr |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,815 | $72,600/yr |
HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026, population-weighted across the metro's counties.
Salary needed to live in Little Rock, AR
To keep the same standard of living as in an average-priced U.S. city, you would need to earn roughly:
| Salary in an average U.S. city | Equivalent in Little Rock, AR | Take-home here |
|---|---|---|
| $40,000 | $35,700 | $29,685 |
| $60,000 | $53,600 | $43,370 |
| $80,000 | $71,500 | $56,554 |
| $100,000 | $89,400 | $68,449 |
| $150,000 | $134,000 | $97,842 |
Scaled by the BEA price level (pre-tax). Take-home: single filer, Arkansas 2026 taxes. For a tax-aware comparison with a specific city, use the calculator above.
A monthly budget on the median wage
A single worker earning Little Rock, AR's median wage of $45,790 takes home about $3,117 a month. A typical one-bedroom rents for $984, which is 32% of take-home pay — above the 30% guideline that financial planners suggest. That leaves about $2,133 a month for everything else.
Take-home pay in Little Rock, AR
- Federal income tax$3,315
- Social Security (6.2%)$2,839
- Medicare (1.45%)$664
- Arkansas income tax$1,573
- Take-home pay$37,399
Marginal rate: 12% federal + 3.90% state
Highest-paying jobs in Little Rock, AR
*In U.S.-average dollars after adjusting for local prices.
Pay and living costs in Arkansas cities
Half of Arkansas’s 1,303,630 workers earn less than $43,630 a year and half earn more; the middle 50% earn $31,880–$61,850 (BLS, May 2025). Prices vary a lot within the state: Texarkana, TX stretches a paycheck furthest, while Hot Springs, AR is the costliest.
| Metro area | Median pay | Price level | 1-BR rent | Rent share | Left after rent / mo | Buying power* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis, TN | $46,890 | 92.2 | $1,137 | 36% | $2,050 | $41,485 |
| Little Rock, AR | $45,790 | 89.4 | $984 | 32% | $2,133 | $41,850 |
| Fayetteville, AR | $46,610 | 91.4 | $1,115 | 35% | $2,054 | $41,625 |
| Fort Smith, AR | $39,560 | 85.9 | $714 | 26% | $2,006 | $37,999 |
| Jonesboro, AR | $42,240 | 85.9 | $838 | 29% | $2,052 | $40,390 |
| Texarkana, TX | $43,200 | 84.0 | $852 | 29% | $2,100 | $42,160 |
| Hot Springs, AR | $36,540 | 85.7 | $834 | 33% | $1,693 | $35,376 |
*Yearly take-home pay (on each metro’s median wage, single filer) in U.S.-average dollars. Price level: BEA RPP 2024 (U.S. = 100). Rent: HUD FY2026 one-bedroom fair market rent.
Little Rock, AR vs. similar-size cities
| Metro area | Price level | 1-BR rent | Median wage | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, AR | 89.4 | $984 | $45,790 | 358,210 |
| Greensboro, NC | 92.9 | $1,164 | $46,570 | 365,410 |
| Worcester, MA | 102.5 | $1,558 | $57,830 | 349,880 |
| Durham, NC | 97.6 | $1,456 | $60,720 | 344,020 |
| Dayton, OH | 92.7 | $1,009 | $49,980 | 372,660 |
| North Port, FL | 102.4 | $1,686 | $47,440 | 339,940 |
| Allentown, PA | 100.0 | $1,365 | $48,990 | 377,180 |
Frequently asked questions
Is Little Rock, AR expensive to live in?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, overall prices in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR metro area are 89.4% of the U.S. average, with housing at 68.3%. It is the #302 most expensive of 387 metro areas we track.
What salary do you need to live in Little Rock, AR?
To match the buying power of a $60,000 salary in an average-priced U.S. city you would need about $53,618 in Little Rock, AR (before tax differences). The median wage across all jobs here is $45,790.
Can you afford Little Rock, AR on the median wage?
A single worker on the $45,790 median wage takes home about $3,117 a month after 2026 taxes; a one-bedroom at $984 would take 32% of that.
How much is rent in Little Rock, AR?
HUD’s FY2026 fair market rents for Little Rock, AR are $979 for a studio, $984 for one bedroom, $1,143 for two bedrooms and $1,532 for three bedrooms, including utilities.
Top salaries by field in Little Rock, AR
Management Occupations
- Medical and Health Services Manager — $101,280
- General and Operations Manager — $76,080
Business and Financial Operations Occupations
- Accountant and Auditor — $65,810
- Business Operations Specialists, All Other — $62,040
Educational Instruction and Library Occupations
- Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education — $60,480
- Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education — $58,580
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary — $28,850
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Occupations
- Registered Nurse — $81,070
- Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurse — $59,240
Healthcare Support Occupations
- Nursing Assistant — $35,370
- Home Health and Personal Care Aide — $27,840
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Food Preparation and Serving Workers — $34,320
- Cooks, Restaurant — $30,690
- Cooks, Fast Food — $28,580
- Fast Food and Counter Worker — $27,470
- Waiter and Waitress — $24,610
Building and Grounds Cleaning and Maintenance Occupations
Sales and Related Occupations
- Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products — $55,190
- First-Line Supervisor of Retail Sales Workers — $37,750
- Retail Salesperson — $29,150
- Cashier — $27,720
Office and Administrative Support Occupations
- First-Line Supervisor of Office and Administrative Support Workers — $58,720
- Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks — $44,470
- Customer Service Representative — $38,160
- Office Clerks, General — $37,250
- Receptionist and Information Clerk — $35,790
Construction and Extraction Occupations
- Construction Laborer — $37,190
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair Occupations
- Maintenance and Repair Workers, General — $45,270
Transportation and Material Moving Occupations
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Driver — $57,050
- Industrial Truck and Tractor Operator — $48,710
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand — $37,440
- Light Truck Driver — $37,080
- Stocker and Order Filler — $35,340