Little Rock, AR vs Springdale, AR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Little Rock, AR outspends Springdale, AR by a wide margin per resident — $17,625 versus $10,025, a 76% 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 70/100 (grade B) for Springdale, AR — a 17-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
Little Rock, AR reports no outstanding debt per resident in its Census filing, while Springdale, AR carries $839 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 Springdale, AR at $836.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on intergovernmental transfers — 25% of total revenue in Little Rock, AR and 21% in Springdale, AR.
Summary
Little Rock spends 75.8% more per capita than Springdale ($7,600/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 | $5 |
| Sales Tax | $1,239 | $153 |
| Income Tax | $1,234 | $445 |
| Intergovernmental | $5,965 | $4,970 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $2,545 |
| Other | $5,700 | $2,342 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $521 | $268 |
| Highways & Roads | $55 | $0 |
| Education | $39 | $8 |
| Public Welfare | $986 | $747 |
| Health | $0 | $312 |
| Hospitals | $427 | $94 |
| Parks & Recreation | $2,054 | $836 |
| Housing | $3,902 | $2,318 |
| Sewerage | $82 | $140 |
| Utilities | $1,001 | $1,928 |
| Other | $8,558 | $3,374 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.