Memphis vs Little Rock
Memphis, TN · Little Rock, AR
Memphis and Little Rock have similar costs of living.
Home Price
Memphis: $195,000
Little: $195,000
Monthly Rent
Memphis: $908/mo
Little: $825/mo
COL Index
Memphis: 84
Little: 85
Median Income
Memphis: $50,200
Little: $56,600
Side-by-Side Comparison
Median Home Price
Monthly Rent (Median)
Median Household Income
Property Tax Rate
Cost of Living Index
100 = national average
Avg. Commute
Unemployment Rate
Median Age
What This Means For You
Buying Power
A $100,000 salary in Memphis has the same purchasing power as $101,190 in Little Rock — based on each city's cost of living index.
Housing
Home prices are similar in both cities — within 1% of each other.
Renting
Renting in Little Rock saves you $83/month — $996 per year. Median rent: $908/mo in Memphis vs $825/mo in Little Rock.
Property Taxes
On a median-priced home, Memphis owners pay roughly $1,346/year in property taxes vs $1,229/year in Little Rock. That's a $117 annual difference.
Local Earnings
Median household income is $50,200 in Memphis and $56,600 in Little Rock. Memphis residents earn 13% more — but remember to factor in cost of living.
Daily Commute
Average commute is 24 minutes in Memphis vs 22 minutes in Little Rock. Commute times are nearly identical.
Salary Equivalence
To maintain the same lifestyle when moving from Memphis to Little Rock, here's the salary you'd need:
| Salary in Memphis | Equivalent in Little Rock | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| $50,000 | $50,595 | +$595 |
| $75,000 | $75,893 | +$893 |
| $100,000 | $101,190 | +$1,190 |
| $150,000 | $151,786 | +$1,786 |
| $200,000 | $202,381 | +$2,381 |
* Calculated using cost of living indices (national average = 100). Does not account for state income tax differences.
Run the Numbers
Mortgage Calculator
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Rent vs Buy
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Cost of Living
Full cost of living comparison tool
Home Appreciation
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Affordability Calculator
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Property Tax Calculator
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Memphis Calculators
Little Rock Calculators
Related Comparisons
Memphis vs Little Rock: Common Questions
Is Memphis or Little Rock cheaper to live in?
Based on cost of living indices, Memphis is cheaper overall. Memphis has a COL index of 84 while Little Rock scores 85 (national average = 100).
How do home prices compare between Memphis and Little Rock?
The median home price in Memphis is $195,000 vs $195,000 in Little Rock — a difference of $0 (0%).
What salary do I need in Little Rock to match my Memphis income?
Use the salary equivalence table above. For example, a $100K salary in Memphis is equivalent to $101,190 in Little Rock in terms of purchasing power.
Which city has lower property taxes?
Little Rock has a lower property tax rate (0.63% vs 0.69%). On a median-priced home, that means paying $1,229/year vs $1,346/year.
Cost of living data sourced from Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) Cost of Living Index, U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey, and Zillow Research. Tax rates from Tax Foundation and state revenue agencies. Last updated: March 2025.