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Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
Crunching costs, sorting signals, rendering insights.
No second income to fall back on. And more often than not, our model scored 1 cities in Arkansas on solo-living metrics. Little Rock leads at index 68 with rent of $1,171/mo.
No second income to fall back on. And more often than not, our model scored 1 cities in Arkansas on solo-living metrics. Little Rock leads at index 68 with rent of $1,171/mo.
Why Little Rock ranks #1: the numbers tell a clear story. At 68 on the cost index, residents save roughly 43% less than the typical American. Rent sits at $1,171/month while the median household pulls in $60,583/year. The Housing category is particularly strong at 68, though Healthcare (94) lags behind. Home prices average $214,773 — $252,597 below the national median.
Single-income living means absorbing 100% of housing costs. And most of the time, our model weights rent under $1,300 (20pts), cost of living (15pts), and city population (10pts) — because a social scene matters when you're on your own. That tracks. Little Rock at $1,171/mo in a city of 203,842 hits the right balance (a figure that keeps climbing, by the way).
What makes this tricky: Across Arkansas, the average cost of living index is 68 — 43 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. That's $724 less than the national average of $1,895. If you're a planner, this number should anchor your spreadsheet.
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.
#1 Ranked: Little Rock — cost index 68, rent $1,171/mo, income $60,583
Singles scoring: rent $1,171/mo (solo housing), cost index 68, population 203,842 — livability on one income
Data sourced from Census Bureau, Zillow, BLS, and Tax Foundation — current as of 2026
203,842 residents · Arkansas
In plain English: the numbers for Little Rock are straightforward: 68 on the cost index, $1,171/month rent, $60,583 income. Not the most exciting entry in the list, but solid. That tracks.
| Rank | City | Cost Index | Median Rent | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Rock | 68 | $1,171 | Details |
Little Rock ranks #1 in Arkansas for this analysis with a cost index of 68 and median income of $60,583.
Little Rock scores highest for singles due to its below-average cost of living, median rent of $1,171/mo, and competitive 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.