North Little Rock, AR vs Jonesboro, AR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
North Little Rock, AR outspends Jonesboro, AR by a wide margin per resident — $17,205 versus $9,056, a 90% difference. A gap this size usually reflects a structurally different service mix or accounting scope rather than a single line item.
North Little Rock, AR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 66/100 (grade B) against 39/100 (grade D) for Jonesboro, AR — a 27-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
North 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 North Little Rock, AR at $1,829 per resident and in Jonesboro, AR at $523.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in North Little Rock, AR at 37% of total revenue, whereas Jonesboro, AR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 145%.
Summary
North Little Rock spends 90.0% more per capita than Jonesboro ($8,148/person difference). North Little Rock, AR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 66/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $318 | $97 |
| Income Tax | $218 | $12 |
| Intergovernmental | $910 | $4,523 |
| Charges & Fees | $0 | $1,640 |
| Other | $4,250 | $1,377 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $273 | $80 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $121 |
| Education | $23 | $42 |
| Public Welfare | $1,282 | $632 |
| Health | $532 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $46 | $108 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,829 | $523 |
| Housing | $4,197 | $2,058 |
| Sewerage | $195 | $122 |
| Utilities | $926 | $1,520 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $191 |
| Other | $7,901 | $3,659 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.