Little Rock, AR vs North Little Rock, AR

Little Rock, AR and North Little Rock, AR spend within 2.4% of each other per resident — $17,625 versus $17,205 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.

Little Rock, AR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 87/100 (grade A) against 66/100 (grade B) for North Little Rock, AR — a 21-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.

Neither city reports outstanding debt per resident in its current Census filing, which removes debt service as a point of difference between them. 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 North Little Rock, AR at $1,829.

They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Little Rock, AR at 25% of total revenue, whereas North Little Rock, AR relies most on other revenue at 37%.