Head to head
Little Rock, AR vs St. Louis, MO
St. Louis is cheaper — estimated essentials for a single person run about $98/mo less, and living comfortably there takes roughly $1,500 less in annual salary (taxes included).
It flips for a family. For two adults with a pre-schooler and a school-age child, Little Rock is the cheaper of the two — rent scales to household size using each city's own bedroom spread, and childcare varies even more sharply between cities than rent does.
| Metric | Little Rock63 | St. Louis63 |
|---|---|---|
| Est. monthly cost (single) | $3,583 | $3,485 |
| Est. monthly cost (family of 4, incl. childcare) | $8,093 | $8,482 |
| Salary for comfort | $64,500/yr | $63,000/yr |
| Typical rent | $1,147 | $1,218 |
| Median home value | $221,200 | $185,100 |
| Median household income | $60,583 | $55,279 |
| Unemployment | 4.2% | 4.1% |
| Housing score | 77 | 71 |
| Jobs score | 75 | 72 |
| Safety score | 4 | 6 |
| Climate score | 98 | 97 |
| Amenities score | 31 | 40 |
| Population | 202.7K | 293.1K |
| Summer high / winter low | 93° / 31° | 88° / 23° |
Fit scores use the reference profile (single, $6,700/mo gross, default weights). Green marks the better value per row.
Little Rock, AR
St. Louis, MO