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Do you like your neighborhood?
Is it friendly, and where everyone knows their neighbors?
No matter if you live in the sticks or in an apartment building in downtown Little Rock, you have a little pocket that you can call home. And each neighborhood is different.
Smaller neighborhoods usually have obvious benefits -- less crime, a slower pace of life, and a lower cost of living. But not all Little Rock neighborhoods are created equal. Some are better than others. But which ones?
Instead of relying on public opinion and speculation, we wanted to get the facts straight and find out which neighborhoods in Little Rock are the best. If you're in one of the places we're about to highlight, odds are you know you've got it made.
Here are the best neighborhoods in Little Rock for 2020:
So what's the best neighborhood to live in Little Rock for 2020? According to the most recent census data, Heights looks to be the best Little Rock neighborhood to live in.
Read on to see how we determined the places around Little Rock that deserve a little bragging rights or maybe you're interested in the worst neighborhoods in Little Rock.
Once you're done, you can look at the bottom of the story for a complete chart of every neighborhood we looked at from best to worst.
For more Arkansas reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Arkansas
- Cheapest Places To Live In Arkansas
- Best Places To Retire In Arkansas
The 10 Best Neighborhoods To Live In Little Rock
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Population: 5,610
Rank Last Year: 1 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $380,143 (First best)
Median Income: $78,491 (Third best)
More on Heights: Homes For Sale | Data
The Heights and Hillcrest are neighborhoods in the north-central portion of Little Rock. Although distinct today, they were once part of the same Little Rock suburb called Pulaski Heights. Pulaski Heights first developed in the 1890s, was incorporated in 1903, and was annexed by Little Rock in 1916.
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Population: 13,353
Rank Last Year: 3 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $259,889 (Second best)
Median Income: $102,615 (First best)
More on River Mountain: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 6,212
Rank Last Year: 4 (Up 1)
Median Home Value: $230,450 (Third best)
Median Income: $61,116 (Fifth best)
More on Hillcrest: Homes For Sale | Data
The Heights and Hillcrest are neighborhoods in the north-central portion of Little Rock. Although distinct today, they were once part of the same Little Rock suburb called Pulaski Heights. Pulaski Heights first developed in the 1890s, was incorporated in 1903, and was annexed by Little Rock in 1916.
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Population: 8,858
Rank Last Year: 6 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $178,986 (Fifth best)
Median Income: $53,937 (Seventh best)
More on Midtown: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 6,622
Rank Last Year: 5 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $176,033 (Sixth best)
Median Income: $63,381 (Fourth best)
More on Reservoir: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 14,605
Rank Last Year: 2 (Down 4)
Median Home Value: $205,200 (Fourth best)
Median Income: $86,290 (Second best)
More on Rock Creek: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 3,043
Rank Last Year: 9 (Up 2)
Median Home Value: $150,520 (Seventh best)
Median Income: $40,185 (12th best)
More on Capital View-Stiff: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 2,904
Rank Last Year: 8 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $138,350 (Ninth best)
Median Income: $58,258 (Sixth best)
More on West Markham: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 6,834
Rank Last Year: 12 (Up 3)
Median Home Value: $118,180 (13th best)
Median Income: $50,648 (Eighth best)
More on Otter Creek Crystal: Homes For Sale | Data
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Population: 2,590
Rank Last Year: 10 (No Change)
Median Home Value: $135,850 (11th best)
Median Income: $40,394 (11th best)
More on Briarwood: Homes For Sale | Data
How We Determined The Best Little Rock, AR Neighborhoods In 2020
In order to rank the best neighborhoods in Little Rock, we had to determine what criteria defines a "best".
Using crime, census, and extrapolated BLS data, we arrived at the following set of criteria:
- High incomes
- Low unemployment rates
- Low crime
- High home prices
- High population densities (A proxy for things to do)
We then ranked each neighborhood with scores from 1 to 27 in each category, where 1 was the best.
Next, we averaged the rankings for each neighborhood to create a best neighborhood index.
And finally, we crowned the neighborhood with the lowest best neighborhood index the "Best City Neighborhood In Little Rock." We're lookin' at you, Heights.
Read on below to learn more about what it's like to live in the best places Little Rock, Arkansas has to offer. Or skip to the end to see the list of all the neighborhoods in the city from best to worst.
Putting A Bow On Our Analysis Of The Best Neighborhoods In Little Rock
If you're measuring the neighborhoods in Little Rock where crime is low and everyone wants to live, this is an accurate list.
As we mentioned earlier, the neighborhoods in Little Rock aren't all good. Central High takes the title of the worst neighborhood to live in Little Rock.
We ranked the neighborhoods from best to worst in the chart below.
For more Arkansas reading, check out:
- Richest Cities In Arkansas
- Safest Places In Arkansas
- Best Cities For Singles In Arkansas
- Most Expensive Places To Live In Arkansas
Detailed List Of The Best Neighborhoods To Live In Little Rock For 2020
| Rank | Neighborhood | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heights | 5,610 |
| 2 | River Mountain | 13,353 |
| 3 | Hillcrest | 6,212 |
| 4 | Midtown | 8,858 |
| 5 | Reservoir | 6,622 |
| 6 | Rock Creek | 14,605 |
| 7 | Capital View-Stiff | 3,043 |
| 8 | West Markham | 2,904 |
| 9 | Otter Creek Crystal | 6,834 |
| 10 | Briarwood | 2,590 |
| 11 | Walnut Valley | 8,177 |
| 12 | John Barrow | 12,652 |
| 13 | Downtown | 6,391 |
| 14 | South Geyer Springs | 2,070 |
| 15 | Cloverdale Watson | 5,944 |
| 16 | Westwood-Pecan Lake | 4,658 |
| 17 | Boyle Park | 4,809 |
| 18 | Chicot West | 8,651 |
| 19 | South End | 3,594 |
| 20 | Big Dickinson Lake | 956 |
| 21 | Oak Forest | 7,364 |
| 22 | East Of I-30 | 3,232 |
| 23 | Wakefield | 4,024 |
| 24 | Stephens | 5,308 |
| 25 | Upper Baseline | 9,140 |
| 26 | 65th Street West | 3,738 |
| 27 | Central High | 2,212 |
