Little Rock is the capital of Arkansas and the seat of Pulaski County, home to about 202,600 people (2020 Census). Its neighborhoods run from 1800s homes near the river to newer subdivisions climbing the hills to the west.
The feel
Little Rock takes its name from a rock outcrop on the south bank of the Arkansas River that early travelers used as a landmark. French explorer Jean-Baptiste Bénard de La Harpe named it in 1722. The city became the territorial capital in 1821 and was incorporated as a city in 1835. Today it reads as several places at once: a river downtown with offices and museums, older streetcar suburbs on the ridges just west, postwar ranch neighborhoods in the middle, and planned communities on the western edge near Pinnacle Mountain.
The homes
The housing stock follows the city's westward growth. The oldest homes, some from before the Civil War, sit in the Quapaw Quarter south and east of downtown. Hillcrest and the Heights hold Craftsman bungalows, cottages and period revival houses from roughly 1890 to 1940. Midtown and the University Avenue corridor are mostly 1950s and 1960s brick ranches. West Little Rock, including Chenal Valley, is largely built since 1990. Downtown adds lofts and condos in converted and new buildings.
Schools
Most of the city is served by the Little Rock School District. The Pulaski County Special School District covers parts of the city. The Little Rock School District's new Little Rock West High School is set to open in 2027, and the board adopted new high school zones for it in August 2026. Attendance zones vary by address and can change, so verify any home's assigned schools directly with the district before you buy.
Getting around
Several interstates meet here. I-30 and I-40 cross the area, I-630 runs east and west through the middle of the city, I-430 loops the west side, and I-440 serves the east side and the airport. Clinton National Airport sits just east of downtown. Rock Region METRO runs city buses and the 3.4-mile Metro Streetcar line that links downtown Little Rock with North Little Rock across the river. Most trips still happen by car.
Life here
The Arkansas River Trail ties the city to the water, with a 15.6-mile loop between the Clinton Presidential Bridge downtown and the Big Dam Bridge, a 4,226-foot pedestrian and bike bridge. Pinnacle Mountain State Park, about 2,000 acres, sits just past the western edge of town. Downtown has the River Market, the William J. Clinton Presidential Center and MacArthur Park. Little Rock Central High School, the site of the 1957 desegregation crisis, is a short drive from the Capitol.
Owning here
Pulaski County property tax follows Arkansas law: real property is assessed at 20 percent of market value, and the local millage rate applies to that figure. Owner-occupants who file a homestead claim can get a state credit, up to $600 on 2026 bills. Amendment 79 freezes the assessed value of a homestead owned by someone 65 or older or disabled. Bills differ by school district because millage differs. Homes near the river, creeks and low ground can sit in a FEMA flood zone, so check each parcel on FEMA's Flood Map Service Center. Older neighborhoods may have historic district rules, and many newer subdivisions have a property owners association with dues and covenants.
