Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway Bellingham

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Neutral — Depends on Priorities
Cost Index: 89.4 → 103.3
Rent Delta: +$647/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + $18K higher median salary
  • + Lower violent crime rate
  • + Fewer environmental violations

Cons of Moving

  • - 14% higher cost of living
  • - $647/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway to Bellingham shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 89.4 to 103.3 (100 = US average), so a Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway salary needs to be multiplied by 1.16 to hold the same purchasing power in Bellingham. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,147/month in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway to $1,794/month in Bellingham - a higher monthly bill of $647, or $7,764/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $57,042 in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway versus $74,723 in Bellingham - a raw gap of $17,681 higher. The Bellingham labor market has 82,720 tracked jobs against 350,410 in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway and Bellingham are 580 and 329 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 13.6:1 at origin versus 17.6:1 at destination. Our composite verdict - Neutral — Depends on Priorities - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Bellingham
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 89.4
RPP 103.3
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,147/mo
$1,794/mo
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
💼 Wages
$57,042
$74,723
Bellingham
🔒 Crime
580 per 100K
329 per 100K
Bellingham
🎓 Schools
13.6:1
17.6:1
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
👶 Childcare
N/A
$15,987/yr
Tie
🌿 Environment
5811 violations
2705 violations
Bellingham

Salary Adjustment Calculator

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

Equivalent salary in Bellingham
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bellingham more expensive than Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
Bellingham has an RPP of 103.3 compared to Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway's 89.4 (100 = national average). Bellingham is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Bellingham is $1,794/mo vs $1,147/mo in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway.
What are salaries like in Bellingham compared to Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The median salary in Bellingham is $74,723 compared to $57,042 in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway. That's a +$17,681 difference.
Is Bellingham safer than Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway?
The violent crime rate near Bellingham is 329 per 100K vs 580 per 100K near Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway (state-level data). Bellingham has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Bellingham to match my Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway salary by 1.16. For example, a $75,000 salary in Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway would need to be $86,725 in Bellingham. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Neutral — Depends on Priorities" means both metros are roughly equivalent across the 7 dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)