Little Rock, AR vs Jonesboro, AR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Little Rock, AR outspends Jonesboro, AR by a wide margin per resident — $17,625 versus $9,056, a 95% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
Little Rock, AR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 87/100 (grade A) against 39/100 (grade D) for Jonesboro, AR — a 48-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Little Rock, AR reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Jonesboro, AR carries $2,919 per resident. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Little Rock, AR at $2,054 per resident and in Jonesboro, AR at $523.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 25% of total revenue in Little Rock, AR and 145% in Jonesboro, AR.
Summary
Little Rock spends 94.6% more per capita than Jonesboro ($8,569/person difference). Little Rock, AR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (A, 87/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $1 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $1,239 | $97 |
| Income Tax | $1,234 | $12 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,965 | $4,523 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,640 |
| Other | $5,700 | $1,377 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $521 | $80 |
| Highways & Roads | $55 | $121 |
| Education | $39 | $42 |
| Public Welfare | $986 | $632 |
| Hospitals | $427 | $108 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,054 | $523 |
| Housing | $3,902 | $2,058 |
| Sewerage | $82 | $122 |
| Utilities | $1,001 | $1,520 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $191 |
| Other | $8,558 | $3,659 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.