Midtown is the loosely defined middle of Little Rock around University Avenue and Markham Street, between the old Heights neighborhoods and I-630. It holds major shopping, UAMS, War Memorial Park and blocks of 1950s brick ranch homes.
The feel
Midtown has no official boundary. Most people mean the area around University Avenue and Markham Street, south of Hillcrest and the Heights, reaching toward I-630. It is the city's central crossroads: big retail at Park Plaza and Midtowne, the UAMS medical campus on Markham, and War Memorial Park with the zoo and stadium. UAMS, at 4301 West Markham, is the largest public employer in Arkansas. Around those anchors are quiet postwar streets.
The homes
The typical Midtown house is a one-story brick ranch from the 1950s or 1960s on a wide lot with a carport. Broadmoor, started by Fausett and Company in 1953 about 4.5 miles west of downtown, was listed on the National Register in 2022; 458 of its 559 buildings count as contributing. Its property owners association dates to 1954. You will also find apartments and condos near the hospitals and shopping centers.
Schools
Midtown is in the Little Rock School District. Elementary, middle and high school zones vary across the area. The district adopted new high school zones in August 2026 ahead of Little Rock West High School's planned 2027 opening. Boundaries vary by address and can change, so verify assignments with the district.
Getting around
University Avenue is the main north-south road and has an interchange with I-630, which runs east to downtown and west to I-430. Markham Street runs east past UAMS toward the Capitol and downtown. Most residents drive, and the central location keeps trip times short.
Life here
War Memorial Park covers 117 acres at 5101 West Markham. It began as the state fairgrounds in 1868, was redesigned as Fair Park in 1924 and renamed in 1948. The golf course closed in 2019 and is now open space with trails, a natural play area, a splash pad, a pavilion and disc golf along Coleman Creek. The Little Rock Zoo, which dates to 1924, and War Memorial Stadium sit beside it.
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. Most Midtown subdivisions have no mandatory HOA; some have voluntary associations, and condos carry dues. Coleman Creek runs through War Memorial Park, and creek corridors can carry FEMA flood zones, so check each parcel.
