Can A Lawyer Afford Rent in Little Rock, AR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 10% of gross income.

Little Rock rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas state estimate).

Little Rock median rent
$1,220/mo
Lawyer salary (Arkansas)
$146,470/yr
Rent as % of income
10%
Gross monthly income works out to about $12,206, and the 30% rule supports up to $3,662/mo in rent. Little Rock's median rent of $1,220 leaves roughly $2,442/mo of headroom under that threshold. A lawyer works roughly 17.3 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a lawyer salary

Lawyer pay covers comfortable rent in every US city, but the surplus after rent varies sharply by metro. Big-law and federal-government lawyer pay clusters in a handful of cities where rent is also highest, which compresses the affordability margin. At the national-average lawyer salary, the 30% rule supports about $4,412 a month in rent — above the median rent in even the most expensive US metro.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Little Rock, which improves the affordability math on a lawyer salary:

Maumelle, AR
$1,219/mo (10% of income)
Maumelle, AR
$1,214/mo (9.9% of income)
Greenwood, AR
$1,213/mo (9.9% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Little Rock

View full rent data for Little Rock, AR

Frequently asked questions

Can a lawyer afford rent in Little Rock, AR?

Median rent in Little Rock is $1,220 a month. A typical lawyer in Arkansas earns about $146,470 a year, which makes that rent 10% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a lawyer afford in Little Rock?

Using the 30% rule, a lawyer salary in Arkansas (~$146,470/yr) supports up to $3,662 a month in rent. Little Rock's current median rent is $1,220/mo, which leaves a $2,442/mo buffer.

How many hours does a lawyer work to cover rent in Little Rock?

At an hourly equivalent of about $70 an hour, a lawyer in Arkansas works roughly 17.3 hours a month to cover Little Rock's median rent of $1,220.

Where is rent cheaper than Little Rock for a lawyer?

Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include Maumelle ($1,219/mo), Maumelle ($1,214/mo), Greenwood ($1,213/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a lawyer salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Arkansas state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Little Rock, AR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.