Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Jersey City, NJ
VS
Little Rock, AR
🏆 Little Rock leads 13 of 23 categories
Jersey City
New Jersey
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$91,151 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
148⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
287,899 ✓ Larger
Little Rock
Arkansas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,697
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Jersey City, NJ
Pros
66% less violent crime than Little Rock
Households earn $32,454 more per year on average
More college-educated — 51.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $500,100
Higher rents — median is $1,799/mo
Violent crime (561.6/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Little Rock
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Homes cost $294k less ($205,800 vs $500,100)
Rent averages $793/mo less ($1,006 vs $1,799)
Commutes run 19 min shorter each way
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Jersey City
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.4%)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
Cons
Median income trails Jersey City by $32,454/yr
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
Jersey City
Median Income
$32,454
$91,151 vs $58,697/yr
Jersey City
Violent Crime
66% lower
561.6 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Little Rock
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 89.1 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Little Rock
Median Home Value
$294k less
$205,800 vs $500,100
Little Rock
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.8% unemployment
Little Rock
Summer Heat
4.9°F warmer
July avg high 91.7°F vs 86.8°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Jersey City, NJ | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 89.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $500,100⚠ High | $205,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,799⚠ High | $1,006 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $91,151 ✓ Higher | $58,697 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8%⚠ High | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 37.0 min⚠ High | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.7% ✓ Higher | 8.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 127⚠ High ✓ Safer | 363⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 148⚠ High ✓ Safer | 440⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 97 ✓ Safer | 248⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (104) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 51.9% ✓ Higher | 44.1% |
| High School or Higher | 90.0% | 92.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Jersey City Public Schools | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.4°F | 50.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.8°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.4" ✓ Drier | 52.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 3.8" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 287,899 ✓ Larger | 202,218 |
| Median Age | 34.6 | 36.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 29.2% | 54.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 20.3% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 15.0% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Jersey City's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Little Rock's 89.1 (US average = 100).
Little Rock is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Little Rock leads 13 of 23 categories. Jersey City wins 10 and Little Rock wins 13. 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 Jersey City to Little Rock or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($500,100 vs $205,800 median home), income ($91,151 vs $58,697), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Jersey City, NJ and Little Rock, AR are about 1,079 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.