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Little Rock, AR

Cost of Living & Affordability: Little Rock, AR

Updated 2026 · Based on median market data for Little Rock, AR

Cap Rate
4.92%
Median Price
$195K
Rent/Mo
$1,100
1% Rule
0.56%
Fails

Housing Affordability

Little Rock's price-to-income ratio is 4.0x — homes cost 4.0 times the local median household income of $48,200. This is moderately affordable. A healthy portion of the workforce can still aspire to homeownership, but many find renting more practical — creating a solid tenant base of working professionals.

Rent vs Buy Analysis

A typical mortgage payment on a median-priced home in Little Rock (20% down at 7%) is approximately $1,297/mo for principal and interest alone — add taxes and insurance and the all-in payment reaches roughly $1,463. The median rent of $1,100/mo is significantly less than buying — this rent-vs-buy gap is one of the strongest indicators of sustainable rental demand. When renting is cheaper than buying, the renter pool stays deep and vacancy stays low.

Income & Employment

The median household income in Little Rock is $48,200, with a population of 202,591 growing at 0.5% per year. Little Rock is a mid-sized city with enough economic diversity to weather most downturns, though it may be more dependent on a few key employers or industries.

What This Means for Investors

Little Rock is affordable with moderate returns. Focus on volume — the low entry point lets you scale to multiple properties faster than in more expensive markets.

Full Little Rock Analysis →Cap Rate CalculatorBRRRR Calculator

More Little Rock Guides

Rental Property Investment GuideRent AnalysisProperty Tax GuideAppreciation & Growth ForecastNeighborhood Investment Guide

Similar Markets in the South

Warner Robins, GA$195K · $1,150/mo
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Owensboro, KY$175K · $1,020/mo
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Baltimore, MD$230K · $1,380/mo
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Columbia, SC$205K · $1,150/mo
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Fayetteville, NC$195K · $1,120/mo
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