Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Grand Prairie, TX
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 Little Rock leads 12 of 23 categories
Grand Prairie
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$76,626 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
58 ✓ Safer
Population
197,279
Little Rock
Arkansas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697
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.
Grand Prairie, TX
Pros
87% less violent crime than Little Rock
Households earn $17,929 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (221.2 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,381/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Little Rock
Longer commutes — 28.1 min average each way
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Rent averages $375/mo less ($1,006 vs $1,381)
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
Homes cost $37k less ($205,800 vs $242,900)
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Grand Prairie
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (4.4%)
Cons
Violent crime (1672.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Grand Prairie by $17,929/yr
Property crime (5214.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Grand Prairie
Median Income
$17,929
$76,626 vs $58,697/yr
Grand Prairie
Violent Crime
87% lower
221.2 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Grand Prairie
Summer Heat
3.8°F warmer
July avg high 95.5°F vs 91.7°F
Little Rock
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Home Value
$37k less
$205,800 vs $242,900
Little Rock
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.0% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Grand Prairie, TX | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $242,900 | $205,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,381⚠ High | $1,006 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $76,626 ✓ Higher | $58,697 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.0%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.1 min⚠ High | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 58 ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 76 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (92) | B+ (104) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.1:1 | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 26.9% | 44.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 81.3% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | GRAND PRAIRIE ISD | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 58.3°F ✓ Warmer | 50.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.5°F ✓ Warmer | 91.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 40.3" ✓ Drier | 52.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.8" ✓ Less | 3.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 197,279 | 202,218 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 33.7 | 36.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 59.2% ✓ Higher | 54.4% |
| Under 18 | 27.6% ✓ More | 23.5% |
| Over 65 | 10.3% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Grand Prairie's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Little Rock leads 12 of 23 categories. Grand Prairie wins 11 and Little Rock wins 12. 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 Grand Prairie to Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($242,900 vs $205,800 median home), income ($76,626 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Grand Prairie, TX and Little Rock, AR are about 303 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.