Loading
Assembling your view…
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Look, the numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Arkansas beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Little Rock stands out at 68 on the index, with rent of $1,171/month and household income of $60,583. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Look, the numbers are clear: 1 of 1 cities in Arkansas beat the national cost-of-living benchmark of 111. Little Rock stands out at 68 on the index, with rent of $1,171/month and household income of $60,583. Assembled from 2026 Census, Zillow, and BLS data.
Little Rock earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 68 cost index sits 43 points below the national baseline, and the $60,583 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $214,773 — $252,597 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 68, while Healthcare trails at 94.
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 68, rent $1,171). Each city profile below links to the full detail page with 12-month trends, salary breakdowns, and cost category comparisons.
Against the national baseline, though: Across Arkansas, the average cost of living index is 68 — 43 points below the national median. And in most cases, 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. This stands out as genuinely impressive.
What to do with this data: use the ranking as a shortlist, then dig into the city profiles for trend lines and category breakdowns. The difference between #1 and #5 is often smaller than the difference between "good on paper" and "actually fits my life." Compare your top picks with our calculator to see real take-home numbers.
#1 Ranked: Little Rock — cost index 68, rent $1,171/mo, income $60,583
1 of 1 cities come in below the national cost-of-living average of 111
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
203,842 residents · Arkansas
Little Rock earns its position at #1 through a combination that's hard to replicate. The 68 cost index sits 43 points below the national baseline, and the $60,583 median income means purchasing power here is amplified by the low cost base. Homes list at $214,773 — $252,597 below the national median — a genuine ownership opportunity. On the cost side, Housing leads the way at 68, while Healthcare trails at 94. No gimmicks — just good numbers.
| Rank | City | Median Income | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock | $60,583 | 68 | $1,171 | Details |
| City | State Tax | Sales Tax | Property Tax | Est. Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1Little Rock | 3.9% | 9.47% | 0.57% | $45,204 |
Cities are ranked by median household income from Census ACS data. We also show cost-adjusted purchasing power (income ÷ cost index) to reveal which high-income cities actually deliver the most real-world spending power. 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 68 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.