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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Arkansas beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Little Rock stands out at 89 on the index, with rent of $1,171/month and household income of $60,583. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
#1 Ranked: Little Rock — cost index 89, rent $1,171/mo, income $60,583
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 112
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
The numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Arkansas beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 112. Little Rock stands out at 89 on the index, with rent of $1,171/month and household income of $60,583. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Dive into Little Rock's numbers: cost index 89 (23 points below national average), rent $1,171/month, income $60,583, and a home price of $214,773. The city's cost profile isn't flat — Housing is the cheapest category at 71, while Healthcare runs 91. With 203,842 residents, it balances mid-size city convenience with manageable costs.
It's worth mentioning — though it's outside our data model — that cities with these economics tend to attract remote workers, which can push prices up over time (not adjusted for inflation, but still telling).
Look, Put differently: Here's the state-level backdrop: Arkansas averages a 89 cost index, $1,171/mo rent, and $60,583 income across 1 cities. And more often than not, that's $724 less than the national rent average. One of the nation's most affordable states — and that context shapes every city in this ranking.
Bottom line: Little Rock leads this ranking for clear, data-backed reasons — but the "best" city depends on your priorities. Click into any city below to see the full detail page with 12-month trend charts, profession-specific salary data, and a breakdown of all five cost categories. If you're seriously considering a move, use our salary calculator to model your specific income against these numbers (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
| Rank | City | Transportation Index | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock | 84 | 89 | $1,171 | Details |
203,842 residents · Arkansas
Here's Little Rock by the numbers — and there's a lot to like (and a little to watch). And on balance, cost index: 89. Rent: $1,171/month. Income: $60,583/year. Home price: $214,773. Population: 203,842. The strongest category is Housing at 71; the most expensive is Healthcare at 91. Translate that rent to annual numbers, and residents are saving renters $8,688 per year vs. the national median. This is worth factoring into any relocation decision.
Cities are ranked by their transportation cost sub-index within Arkansas. Each sub-index is derived from the overall cost of living with regional adjustment factors. All data is sourced from federal agencies and verified research institutions. Cost of living indices are normalized to 100 (national median) using Zillow rent as the primary signal, with sub-category adjustments derived from regional BLS price data. Rankings are updated monthly as new data is released.
Little Rock ranks #1 in Arkansas for this analysis with a cost index of 89 and median income of $60,583.
Little Rock, AR has the lowest transportation index at 84, compared to the national average of 100.
Our cost of living index uses real Zillow rent data as the foundation, indexed to 100 (national median). Sub-categories (housing, food, transport, utilities, healthcare) are derived from the overall index with regional adjustments. Data is updated monthly.
City data is refreshed monthly from Census Bureau population estimates, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary data, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Last updated: 2026.
The median 1-bedroom rent in Little Rock is $1,171/month as of 2026, based on Zillow's Observed Rent Index. This is $724 below the national median of $1,895/month.
The median home price in Little Rock is $214,773, which is 3.5× the local median income. It's on the edge of affordability for median-income households. The national median home price is $467,370.
Arkansas has a 3.9% state income tax rate. Combined state and local sales tax averages 9.47%, and the effective property tax rate is 0.57%.
This ranking was generated using data current as of early 2026. Population and income data comes from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (5-year estimates). Rent and home price data is from Zillow's monthly releases. Tax rates are from the Tax Foundation's 2025 edition. Rankings are refreshed monthly.