Jonesboro receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
North Little Rock
Jonesboro
Opportunity
62 · Top 37%
vs65 · Top 31%
Growth
62 · Top 29%
vs73 · Top 13%
Climate
66 · Bottom 37%
vs70 · Top 49%
Physical resilience
44 · Bottom 34%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
81 · Top 50%
vs82 · Top 47%
Access
90 · Bottom 44%
vs78 · Bottom 19%
Economic stability
44 · Bottom 23%
vs40 · Bottom 18%
Measured values
| Metric | North Little Rock | Jonesboro | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,538 | 80,137 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,707 | $55,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $34,174 | $33,544 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,217/sq mi | 1,000/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $178,900 | $223,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,069 | $956 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 44.6% | 54.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.2% | 2.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 30.6% | 31.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.3% | 22.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 244 | 792 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.8 | 9.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 9.4% | 2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 31°F | 31°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 50.4" | 48.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 4 mi | 42 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 19.8 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 33.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 21 | 26 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.66 | 14.69 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 88.3% | 75.0% | 2024-25 school 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
North Little Rock
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, inland flooding.
Jonesboro
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
North Little Rock
64
Your Score
63
Area Score
Jonesboro
66
Your Score
66
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: North Little Rock, AR · Jonesboro, AR · How this is calculated: methodology