Skip to main content

Little Rock: Demographics & People

Little Rock's population stands at 203,436 people, in 87,858 households. Population grew 0.3% from 202,739 (2022) to 203,436 (2024). Median age 35.9 years. (1.7y younger than Pulaski County; 2.5y younger than Arkansas). Children under 18 are 24% of the population. Population is 43% White (non-Hispanic) and 40% Black. The community is highly diverse (Simpson index 0.61). 55% of households are family-led. County is losing 3,406 residents per year (2022-2023). County health: 38% adult obesity, 17% smoke.

Population & Trend

Population grew 0.3% from 202,739 (2022) to 203,436 (2024) — close to the U.S. annual rate of ~0.6%/yr. Estimated 2026 population: ~204,128 (extrapolated at 0.2%/yr trend). Census Bureau Vintage estimate: 205,045.

Census data vintage2024
Population399,125 people
Annual growth rate · Population change0.3%
Annual growth rate · Population (2022)202,739
Annual growth rate · Population (2024)203,436
Annual growth rate · Population growingYes
Annual growth rate · Trend categorystable
Population203,436 people (vs Arkansas 29,177) population: 5 observations from 2026-04-23 to 2026-04-29
Population Estimate205,045

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023, Table B01003  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Age Distribution

Median age 35.9y is 3.0 years younger than the U.S. median (38.9y). Children under 18 make up 24% — above the U.S. share of ~22%.

Age Summary · Median age35.9 years (at Arkansas median)
Age Summary · Children Pct24.3%
Age Summary · Characterfamily-oriented
Age Summary · Total Pop203,436
Age Summary · Under 1849,498
Age Summary · 18 To 3449,934.0×
Age Summary · 35 To 6472,168.0×
Age Summary · 65 Plus31,836
Population under 1849,498
Median age35.9 years (at Arkansas median)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2024 — place-level B01001 query · Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-29

Race, Ethnicity & Diversity

Of 203,436 residents, race / ethnicity breaks down by Census ACS counts (a person can identify with one or more groups). The Simpson diversity index is 0.61 (0 = single group, 1 = perfectly even distribution); this is read as highly diverse.

White residents93,966
Black residents79,926
Asian residents6,078
Hispanic or Latino residents21,066
Diversity Index · Diversity index (Simpson)61.2%
Diversity Index · Diversity labelhighly diverse
Diversity Index · Groups counted4
Diversity Index · Largest group share46.7%
Asian population3.0% (vs Arkansas 1.5%)
Black population39.7% (vs Arkansas 7.0%)
Hispanic or Latino population10.6% (vs Arkansas 7.7%)
White (non-Hispanic) population42.7% (vs Arkansas 61.8%)

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Ancestry

Self-reported ancestry from Census ACS — what residents report as their ethnic origin, separate from race. Counts can exceed population because people can list multiple ancestries.

Top (8)

(unnamed)
Black
(unnamed)
English
(unnamed)
Hispanic Total
(unnamed)
German
(unnamed)
Irish
(unnamed)
American
(unnamed)
Puerto Rican
(unnamed)
Asian

Citizenship & Origin

Where residents were born and their citizenship status (Census ACS). 0.7% are foreign-born — below the U.S. average of 13.9%. 8% have naturalized to U.S. citizenship.

Residents born in this state131,395
Residents born in another state53,635
Share born in this state64.6%
Share born in another state35.4%
Native-born U.S. citizens26.4%
Foreign-born residents0.7%
Naturalized citizens8.3%
Total foreign-born residents13,424
From Europe974
From Asia16
From Africa5,323
From Latin America708
Census Foreign Born · Caribbean16
Census Foreign Born · South America37

Households & Family Composition

87,858 households. Averaging 2.3 people each — smaller than the U.S. average of 2.5. 55% are family households — below the U.S. share of ~65%. Of 47,716 families, 25% are married couples with children.

Children under 1848,765
Total families47,716
Married couples with children12,113
Single-parent households1,342
Average household size2.28
Women who gave birth (past year)14.8%
Grandparents living with grandchildren3,833
Grandparents responsible for grandchildren1,151
Family households48,072 households (vs Arkansas 7,015)
Households that are families54.7% (vs Arkansas 62.3%)
Total households87,858 households (vs Arkansas 11,107) total_households: 4 observations from 2026-04-23 to 2026-04-29

Sources: Census ACS 5-Year 2023  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Residential Stability & Migration

How long residents have lived here and where they came from. 14.0% moved within the county in the past year — the U.S. baseline is roughly 8–10%. The surrounding county is losing 3,406 residents per year on net (IRS migration data).

Moved within the county (past year)14.0%
Migration · People moving in (annual)338,398
Migration · People moving out (annual)341,804
Migration · Net migration (in − out)-3,406

Sources: IRS SOI Migration 2021-2022  ·  Refreshed 2026-04-12

Disability

Census ACS measures self-reported functional limitations — vision, hearing, mobility, cognitive, self-care, or independent-living. The U.S. baseline disability rate is about 12–13%; rates trend higher with median age.

Residents with a disability12,141
Disability rate6.1%

Group Quarters

Group quarters are non-household living arrangements counted by the Census — college dormitories, nursing homes, military barracks, group homes, correctional facilities, and similar institutional or shared housing. 4,808 residents live in group quarters (2.4% of population).

Living in group quarters4,808

Other

Congressional District · District502
Congressional District · Congress118th
Cdc Birth Rate · Fips05119
Cdc Birth Rate · State Fips05
Cdc Birth Rate · County Fips119
Cdc Birth Rate · CountyPulaski
Cdc Birth Rate · Birth Rate28.3%
Cdc Birth Rate · Lower Ci26.70
Cdc Birth Rate · Upper Ci30.00
Cdc Mortality · Fips05119
Cdc Mortality · CountyPulaski County
Cdc Mortality · Urban RuralMedium metro
Cdc Mortality · Total Deaths 2020 202325,565
Cdc Vaccination · Fips05119
Cdc Vaccination · CountyPulaski County
Cdc Vaccination · Dose1 Pop Pct75.3%
Cdc Vaccination · Series Complete Pct63.2%
Cdc Vaccination · Booster Pct51.7%
Cdc Vaccination · Population 2019391,911
Cdc Vaccination · Metro StatusMetro
Family Score · Score10
Family Score · Schools79
Family Score · Childcare Centers162
Family Score · Children Pct24.3%
Family Score · Ratingexcellent
Town Summary · Key Factspopulation 203,436, stable, family-oriented, middle-class, white collar
Town Summary · Population203,436 people (vs Arkansas 29,177)
Town Summary · CountyPulaski County

Sources: NCES school congressional district assignment · federal dataset cascade