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Little Rock
Flag of Little Rock
Flag
Official seal of Little Rock
Seal
Official logo of Little Rock
Logo
Nicknames: 
The Rock, Rock Town, LR
Little Rock is located in Arkansas
Little Rock
Little Rock
Location in Arkansas
Little Rock is located in the United States
Little Rock
Little Rock
Location in the United States
Little Rock is located in North America
Little Rock
Little Rock
Location in North America
Country United States
State Arkansas
County Pulaski
Founded June 1, 1821
Incorporated (town) November 7, 1831
Incorporated (city) November 2, 1835
Named for The Little Rock
Government
 • Type Council–manager
 • Body Little Rock Board of Directors
Area
 • State capital city 123.00 sq mi (318.58 km2)
 • Land 120.05 sq mi (310.92 km2)
 • Water 2.96 sq mi (7.66 km2)
 • Metro
4,090.34 sq mi (10,593.94 km2)
Elevation
279 ft (85 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • State capital city 202,591
 • Rank US: 121st
 • Density 1,687.60/sq mi (651.58/km2)
 • Urban
461,864 (US: 87th)
 • Urban density 1,724.6/sq mi (665.9/km2)
 • Metro
748,031 (US: 81st)
Demonym(s) Little Rocker
Time zone UTC−06:00 (CST)
 • Summer (DST) UTC−05:00 (CDT)
ZIP code(s)
72201-72207, 72209-72212, 72214-72217, 72219, 72221-72223, 72225, 72227, 72231, 72255, 72260, 72295
Area code(s) 501
FIPS code 05-41000
GNIS feature ID 2404939

Little Rock is the capital city of Arkansas, a state in the United States. It is also the most populated city in Arkansas. In 2020, about 202,591 people lived there. The larger Little Rock metropolitan area has around 770,000 residents. This makes it the 81st largest metropolitan area in the U.S. The city is located on the south bank of the Arkansas River. It is near the center of the state. Little Rock is the main city of Pulaski County.

Little Rock became the capital of the Arkansas Territory in 1821. Its name comes from a small rock formation along the Arkansas River. A French explorer named Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe called it "the Little Rock" in 1722. The city is famous for its role in the Civil Rights movement. This includes the Little Rock Nine event in 1957. Today, Little Rock is an important center for culture, business, government, and transportation in Arkansas and the American South.

The city's economy relies on several areas. These include healthcare, banking, transportation, and shopping. Big companies like Dillard's and Windstream Holdings have their main offices here. The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences is also a major part of the healthcare and research scene. You can visit cultural spots like the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts and the Clinton Presidential Center. For outdoor fun, there's the Arkansas River Trail and Pinnacle Mountain State Park.

History of Little Rock

How Little Rock Got Its Name

1887 Perspective map of the city of Little Rock, Arkansas
A map of Little Rock from 1887.

Little Rock gets its name from a special rock on the bank of the Arkansas River. Early travelers used this rock as a landmark. It showed where the flat Mississippi Delta ended and the Ouachita Mountains began. A French explorer, Jean-Baptiste Bénard de la Harpe, named it "the Little Rock" in 1722.

People started calling the area "Little Rock." Even though some tried to name the city "Arkopolis" when it was founded in the 1820s, the name Little Rock stuck.

Becoming the Capital City

Before Little Rock, the capital of Arkansas was Arkansas Post. But that location often flooded, which made it hard to live there. In 1820, people wanted to move the capital. Many important people bought land around the "little rock." So, in October 1820, the government decided to move the capital to Little Rock. It has been the capital ever since.

The Little Rock Nine and Civil Rights

Downtown Little Rock, Arkansas by Thomas J. O'Halloran, 1958 (LOC)
Downtown Little Rock in 1958.

The Little Rock Nine were nine brave African American students. In 1957, they helped end segregation at Little Rock Central High School. Segregation meant that black and white students went to separate schools. The school board had voted to start letting all students attend together. This was part of the Brown v. Board of Education ruling.

On September 4, 1957, the first day of school, a group of people tried to stop the nine black students from entering. The governor of Arkansas, Orval Faubus, even sent the Arkansas National Guard to block them. But a judge ordered the Guard to leave.

When the students finally entered, angry crowds caused problems. President Dwight D. Eisenhower then sent U.S. soldiers to Little Rock. These soldiers from the 101st Airborne Division protected the students. They made sure the students could safely go to school.

The public high schools in Little Rock closed for a year in 1958. They reopened in 1959. All schools in Little Rock were fully integrated by 1972. This event at Little Rock Central High School showed the world the challenges African Americans faced in the U.S.

Geography of Little Rock

Little Rock is located on the south side of the Arkansas River. This is in the central part of Arkansas. Two creeks, Fourche Creek and Rock Creek, flow through the city into the river. The western part of Little Rock is in the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains. Just northwest of the city, you'll find Pinnacle Mountain and Lake Maumelle. Lake Maumelle is where Little Rock gets its drinking water.

The city of North Little Rock is right across the river. But it is a separate city. It used to be part of Little Rock.

Little Rock's Neighborhoods

Little Rock has many different neighborhoods. Some of the well-known ones include:

Little Rock's Climate

Little Rock has a humid subtropical climate. This means it has hot, humid summers. Winters are cool, but usually don't get much snow. The lowest temperature ever recorded was −12°F (−24°C) in 1899. The highest was 114°F (46°C) in 2011.

Climate data for Little Rock (Little Rock Nat'l Airport), 1981−2010 normals, extremes 1875−present
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °F (°C) 83
(28)
87
(31)
91
(33)
95
(35)
98
(37)
107
(42)
112
(44)
114
(46)
106
(41)
97
(36)
86
(30)
80
(27)
114
(46)
Mean daily maximum °F (°C) 50.5
(10.3)
55.1
(12.8)
64.0
(17.8)
73.1
(22.8)
81.1
(27.3)
88.9
(31.6)
92.5
(33.6)
92.6
(33.7)
85.6
(29.8)
74.8
(23.8)
63.0
(17.2)
52.3
(11.3)
72.8
(22.7)
Daily mean °F (°C) 40.8
(4.9)
44.8
(7.1)
53.4
(11.9)
62.1
(16.7)
71.1
(21.7)
79.1
(26.2)
82.8
(28.2)
82.5
(28.1)
75.0
(23.9)
63.7
(17.6)
52.6
(11.4)
43.0
(6.1)
62.6
(17.0)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C) 31.2
(−0.4)
34.5
(1.4)
42.7
(5.9)
51.0
(10.6)
61.1
(16.2)
69.4
(20.8)
73.2
(22.9)
72.4
(22.4)
64.5
(18.1)
52.6
(11.4)
42.2
(5.7)
33.7
(0.9)
52.4
(11.3)
Record low °F (°C) −8
(−22)
−12
(−24)
11
(−12)
28
(−2)
38
(3)
46
(8)
54
(12)
52
(11)
37
(3)
27
(−3)
10
(−12)
−1
(−18)
−12
(−24)
Average precipitation inches (mm) 3.55
(90)
3.66
(93)
4.68
(119)
5.14
(131)
4.87
(124)
3.65
(93)
3.27
(83)
2.59
(66)
3.18
(81)
4.91
(125)
5.28
(134)
4.97
(126)
49.75
(1,264)
Average snowfall inches (cm) 1.6
(4.1)
1.3
(3.3)
0.4
(1.0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
trace 0.2
(0.51)
3.5
(8.9)
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) 8.9 9.1 9.8 9.4 11.1 8.7 8.2 6.4 7.3 8.2 8.9 9.7 105.7
Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) 0.6 0.6 0.3 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.2 1.7
Mean monthly sunshine hours 180.9 188.2 244.5 276.7 325.3 346.2 351.0 323.0 271.9 251.0 176.9 166.2 3,101.8
Percent possible sunshine 58 62 66 71 75 80 80 78 73 72 57 54 70
Source: NOAA (sun 1961−1990 at North Little Rock Airport), The Weather Channel

People of Little Rock

Historical population
Census Pop.
1850 2,167
1860 3,727 72.0%
1870 12,380 232.2%
1880 13,138 6.1%
1890 25,874 96.9%
1900 38,307 48.1%
1910 45,941 19.9%
1920 65,142 41.8%
1930 81,679 25.4%
1940 88,039 7.8%
1950 102,213 16.1%
1960 107,813 5.5%
1970 132,483 22.9%
1980 159,151 20.1%
1990 175,795 10.5%
2000 183,133 4.2%
2010 193,524 5.7%
2020 202,591 4.7%
2024 (est.) 207,459 7.2%
U.S. Decennial Census
Little Rock city, Arkansas – Racial and Ethnic Composition
Note: the US Census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) Pop 2000 Pop 2010 Pop 2020 % 2000 % 2010 % 2020
White alone (NH) 98,904 90,297 85,401 54.01% 46.66% 42.15%
Black or African American alone (NH) 73,679 81,572 81,339 40.23% 42.15% 40.15%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) 450 519 497 0.25% 0.27% 0.25%
Asian alone (NH) 2,992 5,098 7,099 1.63% 2.63% 3.50%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian alone (NH) 43 54 69 0.02% 0.03% 0.03%
Other race alone (NH) 150 277 761 0.08% 0.14% 0.38%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) 2,026 2,631 6,958 1.11% 1.36% 3.43%
Hispanic or Latino (any race) 4,889 13,076 20,467 2.67% 6.76% 10.10%
Total 183,133 193,524 202,591 100.00% 100.00% 100.00%

Population in 2020

As of the 2020 United States census, Little Rock had 202,591 people. There were 80,063 households and 45,577 families living in the city.

Population in 2010

Race and ethnicity 2010- Little Rock (5560426642)
Map of racial distribution in Little Rock, 2010 U.S. Census. Each dot is 25 people:  White  Black  Asian  Hispanic  Other

In 2010, Little Rock had 193,524 people. About 48.9% were White, 42.3% were Black, and 2.7% were Asian. About 6.8% of the people were Hispanic or Latino.

There were 82,018 households. In 30.5% of these, children under 18 lived there. The average household had 2.30 people. The average family had 3.00 people.

The median age in the city was 34 years old. About 24.7% of the population was under 18.

Little Rock's Metropolitan Area

The larger area around Little Rock is called the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2020, about 748,031 people lived here. This area includes several counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, and Saline. The biggest cities in this area are Little Rock, North Little Rock, Conway, Jacksonville, Benton, Sherwood, Cabot, Maumelle, and Bryant.

Economy and Business in Little Rock

Downtown Little Rock
Downtown Little Rock.

Little Rock is home to many important businesses. Companies like Dillard's Department Stores, Windstream Communications, Acxiom, Simmons Bank, and Bank OZK have their main offices here. Other large companies, like Dassault Falcon Jet, also have a big presence.

Many large non-profit groups are also based in Little Rock. These include Winrock International, Heifer International, and the Clinton Foundation. The American Taekwondo Association and Arkansas Hospital Association are also here. Major employers include Blue Cross Blue Shield, Baptist Health Medical Center, and the UAMS.

The University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is one of the state's largest public employers. It has over 10,552 employees. UAMS, along with Arkansas Children's Hospital and the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, brings about $5 billion to Arkansas each year.

Little Rock has a river port that is important for trade. It is a Foreign Trade Zone. This means it's easier for international companies, like LM Glasfiber from Denmark, to do business here. Little Rock also has a branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

Arts and Culture in Little Rock

William J. Clinton Presidential Library, Little Rock, Arkansas (exterior view - 2007)
The Clinton Presidential Center in downtown Little Rock opened in 2004.

Little Rock offers many cultural experiences:

  • The Quapaw Quarter is a historic area. It has many buildings listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Museums to Explore

  • The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts is the state's largest cultural place. It has art and hosts many visual and performing arts events.
  • The Museum of Discovery has hands-on exhibits. You can learn about science, history, and technology there.
  • The William J. Clinton Presidential Center includes the library of former President Bill Clinton. It also has offices for the Clinton Foundation. The library has millions of photos, documents, and items from Clinton's time as president. It even has a full-size copy of the Oval Office.
  • The Historic Arkansas Museum teaches about the state's early history.
  • The MacArthur Museum of Arkansas Military History is in one of the oldest buildings in central Arkansas. It was the birthplace of General Douglas MacArthur.
  • The Old State House Museum used to be the state capitol. Now it's a museum about Arkansas's recent history.
  • The Mosaic Templars Cultural Center focuses on African American history and culture in Arkansas.
  • The ESSE Purse Museum tells stories of American women through their handbags.
  • Little Rock Central High School is still a school. But it also has a museum and visitor center about its important history.

Music and Theater Performances

  • The Arkansas Repertory Theatre is the state's largest professional theater company. It puts on many plays each year.
  • The Community Theatre of Little Rock is the oldest performing arts group in the area. It started in 1956.
  • The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra performs over 30 concerts every year. Their main place to perform is the Robinson Center Music Hall.
  • The Wildwood Park for the Arts is a large park for performing arts. It hosts festivals and cultural events.

Local Restaurants

Lassis Inn was a special meeting place for civil rights leaders in the 1950s and 1960s. People like Daisy Bates met there to plan important events. In 2020, it was named an America's Classic by the James Beard Foundation.

Sports in Little Rock

Club League Venue Established Championships
Arkansas Travelers Texas League Dickey-Stephens Park 1963 (played as the Little Rock Travelers from 1887 to 1961) 7
Little Rock Lightning The Basketball League Hall High School 2020 0
Little Rock Rangers USL League Two War Memorial Stadium 2016 0
Little Rock Trojans NCAA Division I (Ohio Valley Conference) Jack Stephens Center and Gary Hogan Field 1927 3
Arkansas Wolves FC National Premier Soccer League Scott Field 2021 0
Dickey Stephens Park
Dickey–Stephens Park.

Little Rock is home to the Arkansas Travelers. They are a professional Minor League Baseball team. They are connected to the Seattle Mariners. The Travelers now play at Dickey–Stephens Park in nearby North Little Rock.

The Little Rock Rangers soccer club plays in the National Premier Soccer League. Their home games are at War Memorial Stadium.

The city is also home to the Little Rock Trojans. This is the sports program for the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. Their teams play in the Ohio Valley Conference.

War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock hosts at least one University of Arkansas Razorback football game each year. The stadium is unique because it's in the middle of a golf course. On game weekends, the golf course closes for fans to gather.

Little Rock also hosts the Little Rock Marathon. This race happens every year in March. It is known for giving the world's largest medal to people who finish the marathon.

Parks and Recreation in Little Rock

Little Rock has 48 parks for everyone to enjoy.

The biggest park in the area is Pinnacle Mountain State Park. It covers 2,000 acres around Pinnacle Mountain. The park also has the Arkansas Arboretum, which shows plants and trees from all of Arkansas's regions.

The Arkansas River Trail is a 17-mile path along the Arkansas River. It goes through Little Rock and over the Big Dam Bridge. This bridge is the longest pedestrian and bicycle bridge in North America.

The Little Rock Zoo started in 1926. It is home to at least 725 animals from over 200 different species.

Government of Little Rock

Pulaski County Courthouse, Little Rock, Arkansas
Pulaski County Courthouse, built in 1887.

Little Rock has a city manager form of government. This means a city manager helps run the city's daily operations. The city also has a mayor who is elected by the people. The current mayor, elected in 2018, is Frank Scott Jr.. The city manager is Bruce T. Moore. Little Rock employs over 2,500 people in different departments. These include the police, fire, and parks departments.

Most of the Pulaski County government offices are in Little Rock. This includes courts and other important offices.

Education in Little Rock

Schools for Kids and Teens

AR LR Central High
President Bill Clinton celebrating the 40th anniversary of desegregation at Little Rock Central High School.

The Little Rock School District (LRSD) serves most of Little Rock. As of 2012, the district had 64 schools. In the 2009–2010 school year, about 25,685 students were enrolled. The district has five high schools: Little Rock Central High School, Little Rock Southwest High School, Little Rock West High School, Hall STEAM Magnet High School, and Parkview Arts and Science Magnet High School.

Parts of Little Rock are also served by the Pulaski County Special School District (PCSSD). Some of their high schools, like Mills University Studies High School and Joe T. Robinson High School, have Little Rock addresses.

Little Rock is also home to the Arkansas School for the Blind and the Arkansas School for the Deaf. These are state-run schools. There are also charter schools like eStem Public Charter High School and LISA Academy.

Many private schools are in Little Rock. These include Arkansas Baptist School System, Episcopal Collegiate School, Little Rock Catholic High School, and Mount Saint Mary Academy.

Colleges and Universities

Little Rock has two universities that are part of the University of Arkansas System. These are the University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS). UAMS has several colleges and research centers.

There are also two smaller colleges in Little Rock: Arkansas Baptist College and Philander Smith College. The Clinton School of Public Service is also here. It offers master's degrees in public service. Pulaski Technical College has two locations in Little Rock.

Libraries for Learning

The Central Arkansas Library System has a main building downtown. It also has many branches throughout the city and nearby towns. The Pulaski County Law Library is at the William H. Bowen School of Law.

Media in Little Rock

Newspapers and Magazines

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette is the largest newspaper in Little Rock and the state. It publishes a Sunday edition. Other publications include Arkansas Life magazine and Arkansas Business for business news.

Magazines covering different interests in the Little Rock area include:

  • At Home in Arkansas
  • AY Magazine
  • Inviting Arkansas
  • Little Rock Family
  • Little Rock Soiree
  • RealLIVING

Television Channels

Many TV networks have local channels in Little Rock.

Call letters Number Network
KETS/AETN 2 PBS
KETS-2 2.2 Create
Arkansas Information Reading Service (audio only, only on SAP; radio reading service)
KETS-3 2.3 PBS Kids
KETS-4 2.4 World
KARK 4 NBC
Laff 4.2 Laff
Grit 4.3 Grit
Antenna TV 4.4 Antenna TV
KATV 7 ABC
KATV-DT2 7.2 Comet TV
Charge! 7.3 Charge!
TBD 7.4 TBD
KTHV 11 CBS
THV2 11.2 Court TV
Justice 11.3 Justice Network
Quest 11.4 Quest (U.S. TV network)
Circle 11.5 Circle (TV network)
Twist 11.6 Twist
KLRT 16 Fox
16.2 Escape
KVTN 25 VTN: Your Arkansas Christian Connection
KASN 38 The CW
KKAP 36 Daystar
KARZ 42 MyNetworkTV
42.2 Bounce TV
42.3 Ion Television
KMYA-DT 49.1 Me-TV

Transportation in Little Rock

River Rail Streetcar, downtown Little Rock, Arkansas (November 2008)
The Metro Streetcar system.

Little Rock is served by major highways. Interstate 40 (I-40) goes through North Little Rock. I-30 comes into the city from the south. Other highways like I-430 and I-440 help traffic move around the city.

Rock Region Metro provides public bus service in Little Rock. They also run the Metro Streetcar system. This streetcar connects downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock. It's a 3.4-mile route with 14 stops.

For longer trips, Greyhound Lines and Jefferson Lines offer bus services. Amtrak also has train service twice a day. You can travel to Chicago or San Antonio by train.

Clinton National Airport serves Little Rock. Nine airlines fly from here to many cities across the country. In 2006, about 2.1 million passengers used the airport.

Healthcare in Little Rock

Hospitals in Little Rock include:

  • Arkansas State Hospital – Psychiatric Division
  • Arkansas Children's Hospital
  • Arkansas Heart Hospital
  • Baptist Health Medical Center
  • Central Arkansas Veteran's Health care System (CAVHS)
  • Pinnacle Pointe Hospital
  • St. Vincent Health System
  • UAMS Medical Center

Emergency medical services are provided by Metropolitan Emergency Medical Services (MEMS).

Notable People from Little Rock

Sister Cities of Little Rock

Little Rock has several sister cities around the world:

  • Taiwan Kaohsiung, Taiwan (since 1983)
  • South Korea Hanam, Gyeonggi-do, South Korea (since 1992)
  • China Changchun, Jilin, China (since 1994)
  • United Kingdom Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England (since 1999)
  • Brazil Caxias do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil (since 2017)
  • Russia Bolshoy Kamen, Russia (since 2024)

See also

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