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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Arkansas's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Little Rock at index 89, where median rent of $1,171/month saves renters $8,688/year versus the national median.
Dollar for dollar, few states match Arkansas's value. 1 out of 1 cities undercut the national cost index of 112 — for better or worse — . Leading the pack: Little Rock at index 89, where median rent of $1,171/month saves renters $8,688/year versus the national median.
What does daily life actually cost in Little Rock? Start with the 23% rent-to-income ratio — that's the kind of margin that lets people build savings. On the category level, Housing (index 71) is where the real savings show up, while Healthcare (index 91) is the line item most likely to surprise newcomers. Income at $60,583 and homes at $214,773 round out a profile that ranks #1 for clear reasons.
The ranking uses a composite of 2026 data from Census Bureau population/income surveys, Zillow rent and home price indices, BLS salary benchmarks, and Tax Foundation tax rates. Little Rock (index 89, rent $1,171). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
The broader context shifts things: Across Arkansas, the average cost of living index is 89 — 23 points below the national median. Known for one of the nation's most affordable states, the state offers 1 tracked cities with median rents averaging $1,171/month — which, honestly, is lower than you'd expect here — . That's $724 less than the national average of $1,895. If you're debt-free, those savings go straight to building wealth.
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. Can we talk about how broken the conversation around affordability is? A city gets labeled 'cheap' and suddenly everyone assumes there's a catch — bad schools, no jobs, nothing to do. But look at the income numbers here. Look at the cost categories. This isn't a budget consolation prize. It's a genuine alternative to the coastal rat race, and the data makes that case more convincingly than any think piece. An outlier in the best sense.
#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
| Rank | City | Population | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock | 203,842 | 89 | $1,171 | Details |
203,842 residents · Arkansas
Why Little Rock ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 89 on the cost index, residents save roughly 23% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,171/month — we had to double-check this one — while the median household pulls in $60,583/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 71, though Healthcare (91) lags behind. Home prices average $214,773 — $252,597 below the national median.
Cities are ranked by total population from the latest Census estimates. Growing populations typically signal economic opportunity — but also rising costs. We pair population data with affordability metrics for context. 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.
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.