Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway and Decatur receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | Decatur | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 758,629 | 157,747 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $67,154 | $68,116 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,553 | $35,213 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 186/sq mi | 124/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $214,100 | $202,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,055 | $847 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 63.7% | 74.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% | 3.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | -0.8% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.7% | 21.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 14.2% | 13.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,773 | 374 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 2.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.7% | 67.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 32°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 49.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 10 mi | 21 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 25.1 min | 28.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 37.6 | 40.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Decatur
Elevated or high exposure: earthquake.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area · Decatur, AL Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology