Real Dollar Value
Arkansas stretches $100 further
A national-average $100 buys about $113.40 of local goods and services in Arkansas, compared with $92.31 in California.
Income
Arkansas vs California: Purchasing Power of $100
$100 goes further in Arkansas: about $113.40 in local buying power versus $92.31 in California, a $21.09 gap.
National Rankings
Where They Rank Nationally
See where both states fall among all 50 states for purchasing power of $100.
Arkansas
#4 · $113.40
California
#48 · $92.31
Lowest
Highest
Top 10 States — Purchasing Power of $100
#1
Mississippi
$116.01
Mississippi
#2
Alabama
$114.62
Alabama
#3
Oklahoma
$113.65
Oklahoma
#4
Arkansas
$113.40
Arkansas
#5
Kansas
$113.09
Kansas
#6
West Virginia
$112.73
West Virginia
#7
Missouri
$112.21
Missouri
#8
Iowa
$111.93
Iowa
#9
Tennessee
$111.32
Tennessee
#10
South Dakota
$111.28
South Dakota
Selected states
#48
California
$92.31
California
Arkansas ranks 4th and California ranks 48th nationally for purchasing power of $100.
Safety Context
Purchasing Power of $100 in context
Economic and demographic factors behind the violent crime rate difference.
BEA Price Index
Arkansas has the lower official price level
BEA Regional Price Parity is lower in Arkansas (86.1) than in California (113.4), which is why the same cash buys more there.
See full data →Income Check
California has the higher median income
Purchasing power does not replace income. California has a median household income of $84,097, versus $52,123 in Arkansas.
See full data →Living Costs
Arkansas also looks cheaper on the cost index
Arkansas's cost-of-living index is 87.6, compared with 138.5 in the other state.
See full data →Related pages
What this means
Arkansas vs California: Purchasing Power of $100 in context
Arkansas's purchasing power of $100 is $113.40, compared with $92.31 in California, a gap of 22.8%. Real local value of $100 after adjusting for BEA Regional Price Parities.
Arkansas
$113.40
California
$92.31
Difference
$21
People also ask
Arkansas vs California Purchasing Power of $100 — common questions
QWhat is Arkansas's purchasing power of $100?
Arkansas's purchasing power of $100 is $113.40.
QWhat is California's purchasing power of $100?
California's purchasing power of $100 is $92.31.
QWhich state has a higher purchasing power of $100 — Arkansas or California?
$100 goes further in Arkansas: about $113.40 in local buying power versus $92.31 in California, a $21.09 gap.
QHow much more purchasing power of $100 does Arkansas have compared to California?
$21.
More comparisons: Arkansas vs California
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Data source and freshness
Primary source
Data period
Latest incorporated BEA release
Dataset reviewed
July 23, 2026
Method note
Derived as 100 divided by the state price parity, multiplied by $100.