Little Rock vs Tuscaloosa
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $236,400 in Little Rock and $255,500 in Tuscaloosa.
- Households earn more in Little Rock ($63,003 vs $51,464 median).
- Tuscaloosa has the warmer winter: January highs of 56°F vs 51°F.
- Tuscaloosa is growing faster: +13.2% since 2020 vs +1.9%.
Side by side
| Little Rock, AR | Tuscaloosa, AL | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 206,427 | 114,316 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.9% | +13.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,703 | 1,828 |
| Median age | 35.9 | 27.2 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 45% | 39% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $63,003 | $51,464 |
| Median home value | $236,400 | $255,500 |
| Home value to income | 3.8× | 5.0× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,106 | $1,055 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 89.4 | 87.7 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 68.3 | 58.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $67,000 | $65,800 |
| Homeowners | 54% | 43% |
| Top state income tax | 3.9% | 5% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.48% | 9.46% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.5 | 19.6 |
| Work from home | 12% | 8% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4.1% | 7.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.5% | 25.1% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 51° / 31° | 56° / 35° |
| July high / low | 92° / 71° | 92° / 71° |
| Precipitation per year | 50 in | 57 in |
| Snowfall per year | 4 in | 0 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 76 | 89 |
| Nights below freezing | 50 | 47 |
| Comfortable months | 2 | 2 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively High | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 96.8 | 90.8 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 31% | 74% |
| Home prices, past year | +2.3% | -0.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +37.8% | +32.7% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Little Rock: September to October. Tuscaloosa: May and October.
Full monthly tables: Little Rock weather by month and Tuscaloosa weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $67,000 in Little Rock and $65,800 in Tuscaloosa. Moving from Little Rock to Tuscaloosa, you would need about $73,600 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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