Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Little Rock, AR
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 Shreveport leads 13 of 23 categories
Little Rock
Arkansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.1
Median Household Income
$58,697 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
440⚠ High
Population
202,218 ✓ Larger
Shreveport
Louisiana
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
186,183
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Little Rock, AR
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 4.8 pts lower (4.4%)
Households earn $12,730 more per year on average
More college-educated — 44.1% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.1)
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
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Pros
27% less violent crime than Little Rock
Homes cost $37k less ($168,900 vs $205,800)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 51°F
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Little Rock
Cons
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Little Rock by $12,730/yr
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Little Rock
Median Income
$12,730
$58,697 vs $45,967/yr
Little Rock
Unemployment
4.8 pp lower
4.4% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 89.1 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Violent Crime
27% lower
1228.5 vs 1672.0 per 100k
Shreveport
Median Home Value
$37k less
$168,900 vs $205,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Little Rock, AR | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.1 | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $205,800 | $168,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,006 | $945 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,697 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.3 min ✓ Shorter | 19.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.8% ✓ Higher | 4.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 363⚠ High | 270⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 440⚠ High | 323⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 248⚠ High | 190⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (104) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.0:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 44.1% ✓ Higher | 26.6% |
| High School or Higher | 92.4% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LITTLE ROCK SCHOOL DISTRICT | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.5°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.7°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 52.4" | 51.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 202,218 ✓ Larger | 186,183 |
| Median Age | 36.6 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 54.4% ✓ Higher | 53.8% |
| Under 18 | 23.5% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.0% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Little Rock's cost of living index is 89.1 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Shreveport leads 13 of 23 categories. Little Rock wins 10 and Shreveport 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 Little Rock to Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($205,800 vs $168,900 median home), income ($58,697 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Little Rock, AR and Shreveport, LA are about 177 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.