Grand Forks Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Should you move?

Moving from Grand Forks to Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway is unfavorable: BEA regional price parity goes from 86.7 to 89.4 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent rises by $58/mo.

-$9,186
BLS median salary lower in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
257 to 580
violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
11.8:1 to 13.6:1
NCES student-teacher ratio

BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 86.7 → 89.4
Rent Delta: +$58/mo

Cons of Moving

  • - $58/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $9K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios
  • - More environmental violations

Purchasing power stays near-even: BEA RPP moves only from 86.7 to 89.4 (ratio 1.03), inside a ±5% band. HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent rises $58/mo ($696/yr) from $1,089 in Grand Forks to $1,147 in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway.

Grand Forks still leads on 6 of 7 federal dimensions, the origin keeps the edge. Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway sits #206 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Grand Forks is #1/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Unfavorable. Override it with the dimension table below.

BLS OEWS median salary moves $9,186 lower ($66,228 → $57,042). Labor-market size: 46,030 tracked jobs at origin vs 350,410 at destination.

State retirement friendliness is near-even: North Dakota 69 (C, #9/51) vs Arkansas 74 (B, #6/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.

Dimension
Grand Forks
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Winner
Cost of Living
RPP 86.7
RPP 89.4
Grand Forks
Rent (2BR)
$1,089/mo
$1,147/mo
Grand Forks
Wages
$66,228
$57,042
Grand Forks
Crime
257 per 100K
580 per 100K
Grand Forks
Schools
11.8:1
13.6:1
Grand Forks
Childcare
$10,925/yr
N/A
Tie
Environment
185 violations
5952 violations
Grand Forks

State retirement friendliness

Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.

Origin state · North Dakota
69 C #9/51
Income tax
75
Property tax
59
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
94
Destination state · Arkansas
74 B #6/51
Income tax
75
Property tax
78
Estate tax
100
Healthcare
68

Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Grand Forks to see what you'd need to earn in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026