Little Rock family statistics at a glance
Little Rock has a family story that is easier to read when you put the numbers side by side: a city of 204,774 people in the July 1, 2024 estimate, a growing household base, and a mix of housing, income, education, and age data that shows how daily family life is structured (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
The headline is simple. Families in Little Rock are living in a city that is moderately sized, relatively dense, and still changing. The details below show how those changes show up in homes, schools, commutes, broadband access, and the age mix that shapes everything from childcare to housing demand.
Table of contents
- Fast facts
- Population and household trends
- Age, gender, and family composition
- Education, work, and daily routines
- Income, poverty, and cost pressures
- Housing and internet access
- Retail and service economy context
- Children and community needs
Fast facts
- Population: 204,774 in the July 1, 2024 estimate, up from 202,591 in the April 1, 2020 Census and 193,524 in the April 1, 2010 Census (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Households: 87,858 in 2020-2024, compared with 86,853 in 2019-2023 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Persons per household: 2.26 in 2020-2024 and 2.28 in 2019-2023 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Median household income: $63,003 in 2020-2024 dollars (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Poverty rate: 17.5% in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Homeownership: 53.5% owner-occupied housing units in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Median gross rent: $1,106 in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Broadband access: 91.4% of households had a broadband Internet subscription in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Population and household trends
Little Rock’s family statistics start with scale. The city’s population reached 204,774 in the July 1, 2024 estimate, which puts the city above the 2020 Census count of 202,591 and the 2010 Census count of 193,524 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
That means the city is not exploding in size, but it is still moving. The population changed by 1.1% from the April 1, 2020 estimates base to the July 1, 2024 estimate (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). For family planning, that kind of change matters because it usually shows up more in neighborhood turnover, school enrollment balancing, and housing demand than in dramatic citywide disruption.
A useful companion measure is the household count. Little Rock had 87,858 households in 2020-2024 and 86,853 households in 2019-2023 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). The increase is modest, but the direction matters: more households usually means more demand for family-sized housing, more service use, and more pressure on local infrastructure.
Population and household comparison
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| July 1, 2024 population estimate | 204,774 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| April 1, 2020 Census population | 202,591 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| April 1, 2010 Census population | 193,524 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Households, 2020-2024 | 87,858 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Households, 2019-2023 | 86,853 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Persons per household, 2020-2024 | 2.26 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Persons per household, 2019-2023 | 2.28 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
The household size figures are especially useful for family analysis. A household average of 2.26 persons suggests a city where many homes are not packed with large family groups, and where singles, couples, and smaller family units likely make up a significant share of the housing picture (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Age, gender, and family composition
The age structure gives the clearest snapshot of family life. In 2020-2024, 24.3% of Little Rock’s population was under age 18 and 6.7% was under age 5 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That combination points to a meaningful pipeline of children across early childhood and school-age stages.
At the other end of the age range, 15.6% of the population was age 65 or older (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That matters because family households often overlap with multigenerational support, caregiving needs, and housing decisions that have to account for older relatives as well as children.
The city’s sex composition is also relevant to family dynamics. 53.1% of the population was female in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That is not a family statistic in the narrow sense, but it helps frame household composition, caregiving patterns, and local labor participation.
Age profile at a glance
- Children under 5: 6.7% (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts)
- Children under 18: 24.3% (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts)
- Adults 65 and older: 15.6% (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts)
- Female population: 53.1% (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts)
One way to read these figures is to see Little Rock as a city with a broad family footprint rather than a narrow one. There are enough children to keep schools, childcare, and youth services central. There are also enough older residents to keep healthcare, accessibility, and intergenerational support in the conversation.
Education, work, and daily routines
Family statistics are not only about who lives in a city. They are also about what daily life looks like once people leave home.
In Little Rock, 92.6% of residents age 25 years and older were high school graduates or higher, and 44.6% had a bachelor’s degree or higher in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). Those are important markers for family opportunity because education levels often shape wage potential, job stability, and the kinds of neighborhoods households can afford.
Labor force participation is another key signal. 63.2% of residents age 16 years and older were in the civilian labor force, and 59.4% of women age 16 years and older were in the civilian labor force in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). For families, that means many households are balancing work schedules, school drop-off and pickup, after-school care, and commuting demands.
The average commute is not extreme, but it is still a daily factor. Little Rock workers age 16 years and older had a mean travel time to work of 18.5 minutes in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That is short enough to support family routines, but long enough that transportation reliability still matters.
Why it matters for families
- Higher education attainment can support stronger earnings and more stable household budgets.
- A sizable labor force means many households depend on predictable work schedules.
- A sub-20-minute average commute can help with school and childcare logistics.
- Female labor force participation at 59.4% points to the importance of accessible childcare and flexible scheduling (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Income, poverty, and cost pressures
Income data tells you how much financial room families may have to work with. In 2020-2024, Little Rock’s median household income was $63,003, and per capita income in the past 12 months was $43,712 in 2020-2024 dollars (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Those numbers matter most when paired with poverty. 17.5% of Little Rock residents were in poverty in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That is a meaningful share of the population, and it tells you that family economics are uneven across the city.
There is also a useful time comparison on household income. The median household income was $60,583 in 2019-2023 dollars and $63,003 in 2020-2024 dollars (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That shift is not dramatic, but it suggests an improvement in the income picture when the time windows are compared directly.
Key income figures
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income, 2020-2024 | $63,003 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Median household income, 2019-2023 | $60,583 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Per capita income, 2020-2024 | $43,712 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Poverty rate, 2020-2024 | 17.5% | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
For families, the practical question is how those numbers translate into monthly decisions. Income has to cover housing, food, transportation, internet, childcare, and healthcare. A poverty rate above one in six residents suggests that not every household has the same margin for error.
Cost pressures to watch
- Housing payments can quickly absorb income when rents and mortgage costs rise.
- Family budgets are exposed to transportation, school-related expenses, and medical costs.
- Even modest differences in income can matter when a household is juggling children, work, and caregiving.
Housing and internet access
Housing tells you how families are actually distributed across the city.
Little Rock had 53.5% owner-occupied housing units in 2020-2024, and the median value of owner-occupied housing units was $236,400 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That suggests a housing market with a real ownership base, but not one that is out of reach for every household.
The monthly cost data makes the picture more concrete. Median monthly owner costs were $1,646 with a mortgage and $559 without a mortgage in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). The median gross rent was $1,106 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Those three figures belong together. They show the spread between owning with a mortgage, owning outright, and renting. For families, that spread is often the difference between stable planning and tight budgeting.
Housing snapshot
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Owner-occupied housing units | 53.5% | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Median value of owner-occupied housing | $236,400 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Median monthly owner costs with a mortgage | $1,646 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Median monthly owner costs without a mortgage | $559 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Median gross rent | $1,106 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
Internet access is another family utility, not a luxury. In 2020-2024, 96.1% of households had a computer and 91.4% had a broadband Internet subscription (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That is a strong sign that most households can participate in remote schooling, homework, telehealth, job applications, and everyday digital life.
A second housing-related indicator is mobility. 86.0% of residents age 1 year and older lived in the same house one year earlier in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). That suggests a relatively stable residential base, which can support neighborhood ties, school continuity, and longer-term family routines.
Retail and service economy context
Family statistics make more sense when you see the local economy around them.
Little Rock posted $5,796,053,000 in total retail sales in 2022, and retail sales per capita were $28,527 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). Those figures show that the city supports a sizable consumer base. For families, that means access to goods and services is built into the local economic structure.
The service economy also stands out. Accommodation and food services sales were $989,405,000 in 2022, health care and social assistance receipts/revenue were $8,440,092,000, and transportation and warehousing receipts/revenue were $821,996,000 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Economic context table
| Sector measure | 2022 value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total retail sales | $5,796,053,000 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Retail sales per capita | $28,527 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Accommodation and food services sales | $989,405,000 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Health care and social assistance revenue | $8,440,092,000 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
| Transportation and warehousing revenue | $821,996,000 | U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts |
Why does this matter for families? Because it shows the city is not just a residential place. It is also a working city with a service backbone. That can affect job availability, commute patterns, childcare timing, and the range of spending options families rely on every week.
Children and community needs
The most direct family signal in the dataset is the share of children and the support systems around them.
Little Rock’s 2020-2024 age profile includes 24.3% under age 18 and 6.7% under age 5 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). Those are large enough shares to make child-focused services central to the city’s family profile.
The City of Little Rock’s 2021-2025 Consolidated Plan adds a local child-poverty detail: it reported 10,285 children age 0-17 living in poverty and 37,210 children above the poverty line (City of Little Rock Youth Demographics report). That split is important because it shows both the scale of need and the scale of children who are not in poverty, which together shape how schools, nonprofits, and family services have to operate.
What these child figures suggest
- Child services need to be broad enough for both early childhood and school-age needs.
- Poverty among children is not a side issue; it is part of the core family picture.
- The city’s housing, transportation, and healthcare systems all affect children indirectly through family budgets.
Demographic mix and family diversity
Little Rock’s population mix shows a city where family experiences are varied and shaped by different backgrounds.
In 2020-2024, 44.0% of residents identified as White alone, 39.8% as Black alone, 3.1% as Asian alone, 0.3% as American Indian and Alaska Native alone, 0.1% as Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, and 7.6% as Two or More Races (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts). 10.6% identified as Hispanic or Latino, and 42.7% were White alone, not Hispanic or Latino (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
Language and nativity data also matter for family life. 13.5% of residents age 5 and older spoke a language other than English at home, and 8.3% of residents were foreign-born in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
These figures tell you that family-facing services in Little Rock need to be readable across a range of experiences. School communication, healthcare access, housing assistance, and community outreach all work better when they reflect the city’s actual demographic diversity.
The most useful takeaways for families
- Little Rock is large enough to have citywide family systems, but compact enough that commute and neighborhood stability still matter.
- The household base is steady, with 87,858 households and an average size of 2.26 persons per household in 2020-2024 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Children make up a substantial part of the city, with 24.3% under 18 and 6.7% under 5 (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Income is meaningful but uneven, with a $63,003 median household income alongside a 17.5% poverty rate (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- Housing and broadband access are strong enough to support modern family routines, with 91.4% broadband subscription and 96.1% computer ownership among households (U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts).
- The local economy is service-heavy, which shapes the work schedules and spending patterns families have to manage.