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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Little Rock, AR

Population: 202,218 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

A
87/100

Excellent fiscal health — strong reserves, low debt, well-funded pensions

Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$17,625
Total Revenue
$4.9B
Total Debt
$0

Spending Breakdown

Other
48.6%$1.7B
Housing & Community Development
22.1%$789.0M
Parks & Recreation
11.7%$415.4M
Utilities
5.7%$202.3M
Public Welfare
5.6%$199.4M
Fire Protection
3.0%$105.4M
Hospitals
2.4%$86.3M
Sewerage
0.5%$16.6M
Highways & Roads
0.3%$11.1M
Education
0.2%$7.9M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Property Tax
0.0%$282K
Sales Tax
5.1%$250.5M
Income Tax
5.1%$249.5M
Intergovernmental
24.7%$1.2B
Other
23.6%$1.2B

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$521/person
Highways & Roads$55/person
Parks & Recreation$2,054/person
Education$39/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)100/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)76/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Compare Cities

See how Little Rock stacks up against another city.

vs Fayetteville, ARvs Fort Smith, ARvs Springdale, AR
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Arkansas

Fayetteville, AR

Pop. 95K

C
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,502

Fort Smith, AR

Pop. 89K

B
Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$14,015

Springdale, AR

Pop. 87K

B
Total Spending
$869.2M
Per Capita
$10,025

Jonesboro, AR

Pop. 78K

D
Total Spending
$709.8M
Per Capita
$9,056

Compare Little Rock With

Fayetteville, AR

Spending: $12,502/person · Grade: C

Fort Smith, AR

Spending: $14,015/person · Grade: B

Springdale, AR

Spending: $10,025/person · Grade: B

Jonesboro, AR

Spending: $9,056/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Little Rock, AR spends $17,625 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.6B for a population of 202,218. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of A (87/100).

Little Rock, AR has total expenditures of $3.6B and total revenue of $4.9B. The city carries $0 in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Little Rock, AR employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Little Rock, AR has a Fiscal Health Score of A (87/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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