Living Cost Compare
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/mo est.

vs
Little Rock

Arkansas

$1,080/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL versus $1,080 in Little Rock, AR. Overall, Little Rock, AR is roughly 18% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL and $60,583 in Little Rock, AR — about 10% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Jacksonville, FL
Little Rock, AR

Rent

Studio
$1,127
$981
+13% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$1,146
$904
+21% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$1,385
$1,064
+23% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,545
$1,292
+16% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$266,100
$221,200
+17% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$66,981
$60,583
+10% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,830
$45,790
+6% in Jacksonville, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.4 yr
36.4 yr
about equal
Homeownership
57.4%
54.2%
+3.2 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
31.8%
44.0%
+12.2 pp in Little Rock, AR
Avg Commute
24.1 min
18.3 min
+5.8 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
558.4
1,673
+200% in Little Rock, AR
Property Crime
2,600.1
5,251.5
+102% in Little Rock, AR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
70.2°F
62.7°F
+7.5°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
49.2 in
49.8 in
+0.6 in in Little Rock, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.77/gal
$3.62/gal
+4% in Jacksonville, FL

Area: Florida vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$1.75
—

Adult base one-way fare — JTA vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.2
14.4
+5% in Jacksonville, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$23.62
$25.93
+10% in Little Rock, AR

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (FL / AR)
6%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.90%
+3.9 pp in AR

Jacksonville vs Little Rock — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Jacksonville or Little Rock?
Little Rock, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $1,080 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 18% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Jacksonville than in Little Rock?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $46,000 a year in Jacksonville versus $36,000 in Little Rock.
Which has lower taxes, Jacksonville or Little Rock?
Jacksonville is taxed under Florida's rules (no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax); Little Rock under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).