Source-led head-to-head · 2024 ACS
Moving from Little Rock to New York
The 2024 ACS 5-year data shows Little Rock has lower median income ($63,003) and housing costs ($1,106 rent, $236,400 home value) with a 20-minute commute, while New York has higher income ($80,483) but significantly higher housing costs ($1,821 rent, $777,600 home value) and a 44-minute commute. New York applies a 5.50% state income tax in the calculator, whereas Little Rock’s state tax is excluded due to lack of approved reference. The uniform non-housing baseline of $1,250/month is a model assumption applied equally. Trade-offs involve income gains versus housing and time costs, with tax treatment differing by city due to data availability, not policy judgment.
Corridor Direction & Trade-off Delta
⇄ Switch to New York → Little RockMoving from Little Rock to New York
Median Rent Impact
+$715/mo
Moving to New York costs ~$8,580 more/yr in rent.
State Tax Treatment
+5.5%
~$5,500 more state tax on a $100k salary in New York.
Daily Commute Difference
+24 min / day
Difference of ~200 hours per year spent commuting based on 2024 ACS midpoint averages.
Your move
Compare the life behind the offer.
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Search all 32,330 U.S. Census places directly below.Instant results use official 2024 ACS place data. Places with incomplete required signals remain visible in search but cannot be selected.
Directional estimate using ACS citywide benchmarks. Verified profiles may include a simplified state-tax reference; automatically added profiles exclude state tax until an official reference is approved. Exact tax, benefits, debt, housing, insurance, and personal circumstances may materially change the result.
LIVE VERDICTLIT → NYC
34/ 100
The offer needs work
The destination absorbs more of the offer.Estimated annual life delta−$2,356after essentials; unverified state tax excluded
Best gainThe deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort
Watch closelyThe cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate New York City resident income tax
The short answer
In the uniform one-person renting baseline, Little Rock is about $8,580 lower per year. This is not a verdict by itself: replace city medians with the actual offer, address, household, benefits, insurance, and tax details before deciding.
Little Rock household income$63,003
New York household income$80,483
Little Rock gross rent$1,106
New York gross rent$1,821
Housing, income, and tax reference
| Metric | Little Rock | New York |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 ACS population | 203,436 | 8,483,844 |
| Median household income | $63,003 | $80,483 |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | $1,821 |
| Median owner-occupied home value | $236,400 | $777,600 |
| State-tax treatment | Excluded | 5.5% simplified |
Time and daily routine
The commute-time distribution produces a weighted one-way estimate of about 20 minutes in Little Rock and 44 minutes in New York. This citywide estimate cannot capture a specific route, remote-work schedule, or transit choice, so the calculator converts it into an explicit time difference instead of hiding it in a subjective lifestyle score.
Decision checklist
- Median household income
- Median gross rent
- Median owner-occupied home value
- One-way commute time
- State income tax treatment in calculator
- Uniform non-housing cost baseline
What each city wins
Little Rock
Affordability uncertain. Watch housing costs vs income.
New York
The deepest employment market and largest-city scale in the reviewed cohort. Watch the cohort's longest commute estimate plus a separate new york city resident income tax.
Frequently asked questions
How does housing affordability compare between Little Rock and New York based on ACS data?
Little Rock’s median gross rent is $1,106 and median home value is $236,400, while New York’s are $1,821 and $777,600 respectively, indicating substantially lower housing costs in Little Rock relative to its income level.
What role does commute time play in the cost-of-living comparison between the two cities?
Little Rock’s 20-minute average commute is less than half of New York’s 44 minutes, representing a significant time and potential cost advantage for Little Rock in daily transportation.
Source boundary: Core figures come from the 2024 ACS five-year tables linked on each city profile. Commute is derived from B08303 midpoint weighting. A state-tax value without an approved official reference is excluded and disclosed. This comparison becomes index-eligible only after its unique analysis clears the content quality gate.