Rents are 3% below what Little Rock's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,184 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
February. Asking rents in Little Rock usually run 0.8% below trend in February and 0.5% above it in July, about $15 a month apart at today's median. Based on 11 years of data.
Rent in Little Rock is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in January 2015.
Rent in Little Rock changed +2.2% over the year to September 2026. Across the 24 Arkansas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.7%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Little Rock rose 33% while median household income rose 22.4% ($51,485 to $63,003). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Little Rock is 37% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent rose in 10 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($63,003) is $1,575 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,423); a 4-bedroom is $1,684.
The priciest of 10 ZIP codes in Little Rock, 72207 ($1,497/mo), costs 41% more than the cheapest, 72202 ($1,061/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Little Rock. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Little Rock, AR is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 44.6% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Little Rock, AR has changed in 5 years
Since 2021, the typical rent in Little Rock, AR has climbed from $950 to $1,184, a 24.6% change over five years. Census figures show median household income at $63,003 today, compared with $56,928 five years earlier. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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At $1,184/mo, how Little Rock rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Little Rock rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Little Rock. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Little Rock
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Little Rock is $1,184/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $918/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,068/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $924/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,423/mo.
At 23% of local median household income ($63,003/yr), Little Rock ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.2% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,184/mo, rent takes ~23% of Little Rock's median household income ($63,003/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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