City profile · Arkansas · Census ACS 2023

Little Rock, AR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Little Rock - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

202,739
Residents
$60,583
Median income
$221,200
Median home
$1,147
Median rent (state)

Little Rock - the verdict

Nationally, Little Rock sits in the 36th percentile for household income and the 1st percentile for safety among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

36th
percentile, household income
49th
percentile, home value
32nd
percentile, median rent
1st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Little Rock, AR

202,739 people live in Little Rock, Arkansas - a mid-sized U.S. city by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Median household income here is $60,583 per year, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 12.7%. Home values in Little Rock run a median of $221,200, and the median resident age is 36.4 years. Educational attainment runs 44.0% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 60.9% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 486 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Construction Slowdown), down 52% from five years earlier. Little Rock's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 6886.3 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA climate normals record an annual average temperature of 61.8°F with 51.9 inches of precipitation per year and 3.8 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Arkansas run below the national norm: the state registers 86.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,147 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $210 across Arkansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. Workers in Little Rock report an average commute of 16.3 minutes, with 76.5% driving alone and 10.8% working from home. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 96.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

202,739 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arkansas

Median Household Income

$60,583 /yr

Poverty 12.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

86.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arkansas average

How does Little Rock compare to other US cities?

Little Rock measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 49% pricier than other cities
Median rent 32% pricier than other cities
Safety 1% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Arkansas, Little Rock ranks #160 of 160 Arkansas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Little Rock against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Arkansas only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Arkansas-relative analysis

Bachelor's Degree or Higher is Little Rock's strongest outlier among Arkansas cities

Among the 524 Arkansas cities PlainCities tracks with reported bachelor's degree or higher data, Little Rock ranks #10 - the 98th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Little Rock only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#135 of 495
73rd percentile in Arkansas
Median Gross Rent
#55 of 524
80th percentile in Arkansas
Median Home Value
#34 of 482
93rd percentile in Arkansas
Poverty Rate
#265 of 524
49th percentile in Arkansas
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#10 of 524
98th percentile in Arkansas

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Arkansas only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

36thIncome percentile
1stSafety percentile

36th percentile nationally for median household income · 1st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Little Rock's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Little Rock's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 32 Avg. percentile National median
Little Rock's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Little Rock's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$221,200 Among the most affordable more affordable than 51% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Little Rock $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Little Rock, AR Little Rock, AR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Little Rock, AR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Little Rock, AR median $60,583/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Little Rock, AR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Little Rock, AR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 44.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 12.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 60.9%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
202,739
Median Income
$60,583
Median Home Value
$221,200
Median Age
36.4
Poverty Rate
12.7%
Labor force participation
60.9%
Bachelor's Degree+
44.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
6886.3
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
1672.0
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
5214.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
61.8°F
Annual Precipitation
51.9"
Annual Snowfall
3.8"

Schools

Total Schools
76
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
200,000 residents202,000 residents204,000 residents206,000 residents208,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 202,616 residents 206,427 residents ▲ +1.9%
Little Rock's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📉 Construction Slowdown
Total Permits (2024)
486
housing units authorized
Single-Family
468
detached homes
Multifamily
18
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.4
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1,019
2020 833
2021 1,126
2022 1,021
2023 933
2024 486

Permit volume decreased 52% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.3 minutes
Drive Alone
76.5%
Carpool
8.9%
Public Transit
1.0%
Walk
1.8%
Work from Home
10.8%
Other
1.0%

Based on 95,707 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arkansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$210
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arkansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arkansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Little Rock sits in

Cost of Living Index
86.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,147/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
96.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arkansas

Fayetteville
97,227 people
Fort Smith
89,496 people
Springdale
87,388 people
Jonesboro
79,187 people
Rogers
71,411 people
Conway
66,288 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Little Rock's 202,739 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

McKinney, TX
202,314 people
Salt Lake City, UT
203,888 people
Augusta-Richmond County consolidated government (balance), GA
201,504 people
Columbus, GA
204,383 people
Oxnard, CA
201,014 people
Amarillo, TX
200,945 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Little Rock's $60,583 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Augusta, KS
$60,581 median income
Redfield, SD
$60,586 median income
Saraland, AL
$60,577 median income
Shelton, WA
$60,589 median income
Bryant, SD
$60,592 median income
Milford, IA
$60,571 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Little Rock, AR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Little Rock, AR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 46.4% 39.4% 6.6% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 10.4% White 46.4% Black or African American 39.4% Asian 3.0% American Indian 0.3% Native Hawaiian 0.1% Some other race 4.2% Two or more races 6.6% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Little Rock compares to nearby Arkansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Little Rock (this city) 202,739 $60,583
Fayetteville 97,227 $59,074
Fort Smith 89,496 $52,692
Springdale 87,388 $66,044
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AR FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Little Rock, AR?

What is the population of Little Rock, AR? +

The population of Little Rock, AR stands at 202,739 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Little Rock, AR? +

Median annual household income in Little Rock runs $60,583, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Little Rock? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Little Rock; the closest available measure is the Arkansas state average, a cost of living index of 86.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arkansas vary by metro area.

Is Little Rock, AR safe? +

Little Rock has a total crime rate of 6886.3 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Little Rock, AR? +

The median home value in Little Rock is $221,200, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Little Rock? +

Little Rock has an average annual temperature of 61.8°F, 51.9 inches of precipitation, and 3.8 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.