Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Birmingham, AL
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 Little Rock leads 15 of 23 categories
Birmingham
Alabama
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
92.6
Median Household Income
$42,464
Violent Crime Index
328⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
200,431
Little Rock
Arkansas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Birmingham, AL
Pros
Homes cost $83k less ($123,000 vs $205,800)
25% less violent crime than Little Rock
Living costs sit below the national average (index 92.6)
Cons
Median income trails Little Rock by $16,233/yr
Violent crime (1246.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4031.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (7.5% vs 4.4%)
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Households earn $16,233 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.1 pts lower (4.4%)
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
Smaller class sizes — 15.0:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Birmingham
Violent Crime
25% lower
1246.6 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Birmingham
Median Home Value
$83k less
$123,000 vs $205,800
Little Rock
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 92.6 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Income
$16,233
$58,697 vs $42,464/yr
Little Rock
Unemployment
3.1 pp lower
4.4% vs 7.5% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Birmingham, AL | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 92.6 | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $123,000 ✓ Lower | $205,800 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $995 ✓ Lower | $1,006 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $42,464 | $58,697 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 7.5%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 21.6 min | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 8.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 274⚠ High ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 328⚠ High ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 192⚠ High ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (89) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 19.2:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 29.4% | 44.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 88.1% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Birmingham City | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.5°F ✓ Warmer | 50.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 58.1" | 52.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.4" ✓ Less | 3.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 200,431 | 202,218 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 35.9 | 36.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.9% | 54.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.2% ✓ More | 15.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Birmingham's cost of living index is 92.6 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Little Rock leads 15 of 23 categories. Birmingham wins 8 and Little Rock wins 15. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Birmingham to Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($123,000 vs $205,800 median home), income ($42,464 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Birmingham, AL and Little Rock, AR are about 329 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.