What salary do you need to live in Little Rock, AR?
For a single person: about $64,500/year before taxes to live comfortably. That's the gross income whose AR-taxed take-home covers roughly $1,147 rent plus everyday essentials, with a 20% cushion for savings. Figures include 2025 federal tax, FICA, and an effective 3.6% Arkansas income tax.
What jobs here actually pay: the typical Little Rock worker earns about $45,790/year (BLS OEWS, all occupations) — below the $53,000 a single person needs to cover local essentials, so a median local job alone runs 14% short.
Single person — est. essentials $3,583/mo
Tight
take-home covers $3,583/mo
$53,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $4,300/mo
$64,500/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $5,375/mo
$84,000/yr
2-person household — est. essentials $4,789/mo
Tight
take-home covers $4,789/mo
$69,000/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $5,747/mo
$84,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $7,184/mo
$106,500/yr
3-person household — est. essentials $5,897/mo
Tight
take-home covers $5,897/mo
$86,500/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $7,076/mo
$105,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $8,846/mo
$133,500/yr
4-person household — est. essentials $6,845/mo
Tight
take-home covers $6,845/mo
$101,500/yr
Comfortable
take-home covers $8,214/mo
$123,000/yr
Thriving
take-home covers $10,268/mo
$159,000/yr
How we calculate this
Essentials = typical rent ($1,147) + a national non-housing baseline by household size ($2,450 for one person) + Arkansas's combined sales tax on the taxable share of that spending. We then solve for the gross salary whose after-tax take-home hits each tier, including municipal income tax where the city levies one. These assume adults sharing a home. A household with young children also pays childcare, which in most cities is the largest line after rent — run a search with your own household to price it. Property taxes aren't modeled — see the methodology.
Find jobs in Little Rock
Opens each board's search pre-filled for Little Rock, AR.
Planning a move here?
Get notified when Little Rock gets more affordable, plus relocation tips.
We'll only email you what you asked for. Unsubscribe anytime. See our privacy policy.