Jacksonville sits northeast of Little Rock along US 67/167, with Little Rock Air Force Base inside its city limits. It began as a railroad depot town in 1870, has run its own school district since 2016, and offers a wide mix of established and newer housing.
The feel
Jacksonville traces back to 1870, when Nicholas Jackson sold land to the Cairo and Fulton Railroad on the condition that a depot be built nearby. Trains started running in 1871 and the town plat used the Jacksonville name. It incorporated in 1941, just as the Arkansas Ordnance Plant was built here for World War II. In 1955, Little Rock Air Force Base was activated, and the base has shaped the city ever since. Jacksonville had about 29,500 residents at the 2020 Census.
The homes
Much of the older housing went up in the decades after the base opened, so you will see plenty of brick ranch homes from the 1950s through the 1970s on established streets. Newer subdivisions have filled in on the edges of town, and there is a steady supply of rental homes because of the base. Lot sizes are often generous compared with closer-in cities. Since construction eras vary so much, look closely at updates to roofs, HVAC, windows and plumbing when comparing homes.
Schools
Jacksonville voters approved leaving the Pulaski County Special School District in 2014, and the new Jacksonville North Pulaski School District took over for the 2016 to 2017 school year. The district's high school is Jacksonville High School on West Main Street. Before the split, Jacksonville campuses were part of PCSSD, and some addresses outside the city may still fall in that district. Attendance zones go by address and can change, so confirm schools for a specific home with the district.
Getting around
US 67/167 is the main route, a four-lane freeway that runs south through Sherwood to I-40 and I-30 in North Little Rock and north to Cabot. That makes downtown Little Rock roughly a 20 to 25 minute drive outside rush hour. Main Street runs east and west through the older part of town toward the base, and local state highways link Jacksonville with Sherwood, Gravel Ridge and the countryside to the north.
Life here
The Jacksonville Museum of Military History covers the region's military heritage, including the ordnance plant and the air base. Just outside town, the Reed's Bridge Civil War Battlefield marks the August 27, 1863, fight at Bayou Meto, and the site is open to the public. The air base, home to units such as the 50th Airlift Squadron, is part of daily life here. The city also maintains parks and ball fields, and Bayou Meto, which gave that 1863 fight its name, winds through the countryside nearby.
Owning here
Property taxes are set through Pulaski County, and the school district is part of the millage. Because so many residents are connected to the base, homes here often trade with VA financing and on military timelines, which can affect inspection and closing schedules. Bayou Meto and smaller creeks cross the area, so check FEMA flood maps for any low-lying lot. Homes close to the base may also hear aircraft noise; it is worth driving by at different times of day.
