Little Rock, AR

The relevant decision is not whether Little Rock has one rent level, but which part of its observed ZIP-level range fits a household’s monthly budget and search tolerance. This module pairs citywide ACS context with 11 eligible ZIP/ZCTA matches selected in descending renter-household count, covering 41,084 renter households; it is a direct-evidence set rather than an exhaustive local ZIP inventory. In Zillow’s June 2026 ZORI, a typical observed asking-rent index spans $1,078 to $1,465, a $387 spread, with a $1,272 median. Screening listings across that range matters more than treating a city figure as a property quote.

These datasets answer different questions and should remain separate. Zillow’s ZORI measures a typical observed asking-rent index, while ACS 2024 five-year ZCTA estimates report median gross rent between $943 and $1,365 in the selected areas. HUD’s FY2026 two-bedroom SAFMR-based standard is $1,147 for each shown ZIP, an administrative benchmark rather than an asking rent. Direct Zillow figures are 94.0% to 127.7% of that HUD amount; ZIP 72206 forms the below-HUD endpoint, while 72205 forms the above-HUD endpoint. The ACS series should not be blended with either measure to create a market-rent figure, and ZCTAs are statistical areas rather than identical USPS delivery ZIPs.

Affordability and vacancy signals do not move in a single direction. Across selected ZCTAs, 24.2% to 54.4% of renter households are estimated to pay 30% or more of income toward gross rent, while vacancy runs from 1.8% to 20.5%. The low-vacancy endpoint, ZIP 72212, also has the lowest burden share, 24.2%; ZIP 72204 pairs 14.7% vacancy with the highest burden share, 54.4%. Those observations are not a causal ranking or a promise of unit availability. As a household-level screen, annual income implied by paying 30% of income for direct rent ranges from $43,120 at the lower end to $58,600 at the higher end. Compare those thresholds with dependable household income and the actual all-in lease quote rather than area income alone.

Several limits require address-level verification. Zillow’s index is not a unit quote or a bedroom-specific figure; the ACS measures are five-year estimates, and the HUD value is a two-bedroom administrative standard rather than asking rent. Vacancy and burden describe ZCTAs rather than a particular building, and the selected set excludes any ZIP without an eligible direct match. Before applying, confirm the current advertised rent, bedroom count, included charges, lease term, deposits, income or guarantor rules, availability date, and exact USPS delivery ZIP. Recalculate affordability from the quoted total and documentation requirements rather than using the observed range, ACS estimate, or HUD standard as a substitute for property terms.