Rent vs buy in North Little Rock, AR
In North Little Rock, Arkansas, the typical rent is $1,128 /mo and the typical home $167,356.
Over 7 years, buying comes out ahead by $7k
With 20% down and the current mortgage rate, based on North Little Rock's typical rent and typical home value. The break-even point: year 6.
Clearly labelled opinion with the math shown. These are estimates, not quotes. The stamp shifts whenever you change a number.
- Owning leads by
- $7k after 7 years
- Break-even point
- year 6 when owning catches up
- Actual cost to own
- $1,523 a month year 1, against $1,128 rent
Change my numbers
The stamp takes its rent and home value from North Little Rock's typical figures. The result can flip based on your rent, price and years.
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In North Little Rock, is it cheaper to rent or buy?
Counting the money you get back when you sell, buying costs $7,375 less than renting over 7 years. In year 6, owning's net cost falls below renting's and stays lower.
Renting. Owning. Net cost by year so far.
North Little Rock: average rent vs mortgage payment
Rent and the mortgage don't tell you everything. Here are all monthly costs for year 1, using North Little Rock's typical price.
| Each month, year 1 | Amount | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Rent | $1,128 | All of it, every month |
| Mortgage payment | $912 | $804 of it is interest in year 1 |
| Property tax | $124 | 0.89% of the value a year |
| Insurance | $113 | Census median for the city |
| Upkeep | $139 | 1% of the value a year |
| Owning, cash out | $1,289 | $108 of it builds equity |
| Lost return on the down payment | $272 | What the cash would earn yearly at 8.3% |
| Buying costs, spread out | $70 | 3.5% of the price over 7 years |
| True cost of owning | $1,523 | Cash paid out, minus the equity share, plus the two lines above |
North Little Rock verdict: the numbers behind it
- Typical home valueZHVI, September 2026, from Zillow
- $167,356
- Typical rentZORI, September 2026, from Zillow
- $1,128 a month
- Down payment: 20% means no private mortgage insurance, and the engine doesn't model that.
- 20%
- Mortgage rate: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (FRED MORTGAGE30US)
- 7.24%
- Growth in home pricesFHFA index for Arkansas, 1995 through 2025
- 3.8% each year
- Rent growthCPI primary residence rent, yearly growth 2006 to 2026
- Each year: 3.5%
- Savings return1928 to 2025, 60% S&P 500 with dividends plus 40% 10-year Treasuries, rebalanced yearly
- Each year: 8.3%
- Property tax, Census data: ACS 2020-2024, North Little Rock
- 0.89% of the property's value
- Home insurance, Census data: ACS 2020-2024, North Little Rock
- $113 each month
- Maintenance, Fannie Mae: the low end of the 1% to 4% range
- 1% of the value each year
- Buying costs, Freddie Mac: the middle of the 2% to 5% range
- 3.5% of the price
- Selling costs, agent commission and closing costs
- 6% of the price
Which conditions would reverse the North Little Rock result?
Each line marks the point at which the 7-year verdict for North Little Rock changes, while everything else stays as it is.
When renting comes out ahead
- Home prices rise by less than 3.2% each year. Our figure is 3.8%, Arkansas's typical rate over the long run.
- The mortgage rate remains above 8.02%.
- For a home like this, rent is less than $1,050 a month (the typical figure here is $1,128).
- You move earlier than year 6.
When buying comes out ahead
- Home prices grow by more than 3.2% a year.
- You secure a mortgage rate under 8.02% (today's is 7.24%).
- The same home would cost more than $1,050 a month to rent.
- You stay for 6 years or more.
North Little Rock compared with the other 812 cities
| Measure | North Little Rock | Median city |
|---|---|---|
| Typical home value | $167,356 | $422,451 |
| Typical rent | $1,128 /mo | $1,837 /mo |
| Price-to-rent ratio | 12.4 (#747 of 813) | 18.5 |
| Home prices, last 10 years | 3.7% a year | 6.2% a year |
| Rents, last 5 years | 3% a year | 4% a year |
| Property tax | 0.89% | 0.87% |
| Households that rent | 55% | 42% |
Data comes from Zillow ZHVI and ZORI, Census ACS 2020-2024.
More cities in Arkansas
- Renting comes out ahead by $15k in Little Rock, AR.
- Renting comes out ahead by $54k in Fayetteville, AR.
- Renting comes out ahead by $9k in Fort Smith, AR.
- Renting is ahead by $46k in Springdale, AR.
- Renting comes out ahead by $8k in Jonesboro, AR.
- Renting is ahead by $59k in Rogers, AR.
- Renting comes out ahead by $13k in Conway, AR.
- Renting is ahead by $109k in Bentonville, AR.