Central Arkansas, also known as the Little Rock metro, designated by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget as the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area, is a metropolitan area U.S. state of Arkansas. With a population of 748,031 at the 2020 census, it is the most populated metropolitan statistical area in Arkansas. Located at the convergence of Arkansas's other geographic regions, the region's central location makes Central Arkansas an important population, economic, education, and political center in Arkansas and the South. Little Rock is the state's capital and largest city, and the city is also home to two Fortune 500 companies, Arkansas Children's Hospital, and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS).
History The site known as "little rock" along the Arkansas River was found by explorer Bernard de la Harpe in 1722.. The territorial capitol had been located at Arkansas Post in Southeast Arkansas since 1819, but the site had proven unsuitable as a settlement due to frequent flooding of the Arkansas River. Over the years, the "little rock" was known as a waypoint along the river, but remained unsettled. A land speculator from St. Louis, Missouri who had acquired many acres around the "little rock" began pressuring the Arkansas territorial legislature in February 1820 to move the capital to the site, but the representatives could not decide between Little Rock or Cadron (now Conway), which was the preferred site of Territorial Governor James Miller. The issue was tabled until October 1820, by which time most of the legislators and other influential men had purchased lots around Little Rock.. The legislature moved the capital to Little Rock, where it has remained ever since.
Geography
Central Arkansas is located in the Southern United States (commonly known as the South in the US), and within a subregion commonly known as the Deep South, although it is influenced by Upper South culture. The South is a distinct cultural region reliant upon a plantation economy in the 18th and 19th century, until the secession of the Confederate States of America and the Civil War.
The region is the point of convergence for five other Arkansas regions: the Ozarks to the north, the Arkansas River Valley & the Ouachita Mountains to the west, the Arkansas Delta to the east, and Piney Woods to the southwest.
The Arkansas River crosses the region, and serves as the dividing line between Little Rock and North Little Rock. The Arkansas is an important geographic feature in Central Arkansas, requiring long bridge spans but allowing barge traffic to the Port of Little Rock and points upriver.
Demographics
The Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area is defined by the Office of Management and Budget as consisting of Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski and Saline counties.
CountySeat2025 Estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityPulaskiLittle RockFaulknerConwaySalineBentonLonokeLonokeGrantSheridanPerryPerryvilleTotal
The Little Rock MSA forms the core of the broader Little Rock–North Little Rock Combined Statistical Area (CSA). The CSA definition adds the Pine Bluff micropolitan area (Cleveland and Jefferson Counties) and the Searcy micropolitan area (White County). Its economic, cultural, and demographic center is Little Rock, Arkansas's capital and largest city. The Little Rock Combined Statistical area spans nine counties and had an estimated population of 927,903 in 2025.
Statistical Area2025 estimate2020 CensusChangeAreaDensityLittle Rock–North Little Rock–Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical AreaSearcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical AreaPine Bluff, AR Micropolitan Statistical AreaTotal
Prior to 2002, the area consisted of four core counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Saline and Lonoke. The area was later expanded to include adjoining Perry County to the west, and Grant County to the south. The city of Conway was designated as a third principal city for the MSA by 2007. 2000 Census Metropolitan Statistical Area As of the census of 2000, there were 610,518 people, 241,094 households, and 165,405 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 75.40% White, 21.02% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.
The median income for a household in the MSA was $37,912, and the median income for a family was $44,572. Males had a median income of $31,670 versus $23,354 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $18,305.
Combined Statistical Area As of the census of 2000, there were 785,024 people, 304,335 households, and 210,966 families residing within the CSA. The racial makeup of the CSA was 73.97% White, 22.73% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.93% of the population.
The median income for a household in the CSA was $35,301, and the median income for a family was $41,804. Males had a median income of $31,192 versus $22,347 for females. The per capita income for the CSA was $16,898.
Communities Communities are categorized based on their populations in the 2020 U.S. Census.
Places with more than 100,000 inhabitants Little Rock (principal city) (203,842)
Places with 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants Conway (principal city) (69,580) North Little Rock (principal city) (64,531)
Places with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants Pine Bluff (39,123) Benton (37,558) Sherwood (33,118) Jacksonville (29,094) Cabot (27,190) Searcy (23,813) Maumelle (19,452) Bryant (21,877) Hot Springs Village (partial) (15,861)
Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants Beebe (8,871) East End (6,147) Ward (6,840) Greenbrier (6,170) Sheridan (5,202) Vilonia (4,568) Lonoke (4,277) Haskell (4,138) Landmark (3,620) Austin (4,027) Gibson (3,515) Gravel Ridge (3,232) Shannon Hills (3,143) England (2,825) Salem (2,544) Mayflower (2,234) Carlisle (2,214) McAlmont (1,873) Wrightsville (1,542 Perryville (1,460)
Places with 500 to 1,000 inhabitants Alexander Leola Wooster Holland Sweet HomeCollege Station Quitman (partial) Traskwood Cammack Village
Places with fewer than 500 inhabitants Adona Allport Bauxite Bigelow Casa Coy Perry EnolaFourche Guy Hensley Houston Humnoke Keo Mount VernonDamascus(partial) Poyen Prattsville Scott Tull Twin Groves Woodson
Population trends
Year Metropolitan Statistical Area Combined Statistical Area2020 Census748,031912,604 2014 est. 729,135 902,443 2005 est. 645,706 820,846 2000 Census 610,518 785,024
Economy
The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, the oldest association in Arkansas, has produced the following list of largest employers in Central Arkansas. Employer Number of employees State of Arkansas 32,200 Local government 28,800 Federal government 9,200 University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences 8,500 Baptist Health 7,000 Little Rock Air Force Base 4,500 Acxiom 4,380 Little Rock School District 3,500 Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System 3,500 Entergy Arkansas 2,740 Pulaski County Special School District 2,700 AT&T 2,600 CHI St. Vincent Health System 2,600 Arkansas Children’s Hospital 2,470 Dillard's 2,400 Verizon Wireless 2,000 Union Pacific Railroad 2,000 Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield 1,800 Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. 2,000 CenterPoint Energy 1,800 Source: Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce
Higher education Notable colleges and universities SchoolEnrollmentLocationTypeNicknameAthletic Affiliation (Conference) University of Arkansas at Little Rock 11,848 Little Rock Public State University Trojans NCAA Division I (OVC; UAC in July 2026) Non-Football University of Central Arkansas 11,487 Conway Public State University Bears and Sugar Bears NCAA Division I FCS (ASUN; UAC in July 2026) Hendrix College 1,348 Conway Private liberal arts college Warriors NCAA Division III (SAA)
Arts and culture
Quapaw Quarter – start of the 20th century Little Rock consists of three National Register historic districts with at least a hundred buildings on the National Register of Historic Places.
Libraries The Central Arkansas Library System, also known as CALS provides library services to residents. CALS also offers a non-resident option for those who live outside Pulaski or Perry County. For residents that do not pay taxes in this area, CALS offers a card at $72 per year, which can be paid monthly, quarterly, or yearly. CALS offers multiple different kinds of library cards, from individual to group and corporate cards. Spanning over 15 libraries, the Central Arkansas Library system offers a great deal of services. From regular book checkouts, CDs, DVDs and digital items, their borrowing materials are plentiful. They also offer a Library of Things, which includes fishing gear, tools, a seed library, toys, hotspots, telescopes, and birdwatching kits. All 15 library locations offer additional products for use inside of the library, like laptops, desktop computers, DVD players, Chromebooks, and more. In addition to the materials owned by the system and lent out, they also participate in an Interlibrary Loan program through the MOBIUS linking libraries system.
Patrons of the library can place these materials on hold for pickup at any of the CALS locations, and must pick items up within 7 days of the arrival. If the item is not picked up, there will be a $1 fee placed for each item not picked up on the library account. Additionally, fines may be added to patron accounts based on overdue or lost materials. Most items incur a 10 cent fine for each day they are overdue. If a library card account owes more than $100, their library privileges will be suspended until their record has been cleared.
Items may be returned to any CALS location, as a interlibrary system delivers materials to their home libraries. Many of the CALS locations have meeting rooms, some available for free with a library card and others require a small fee. Additionally, some libraries have notaries on staff, which are available to patrons for free. Some libraries offer book club kits, kits with 10 copies of one book and a discussion guide for book club members to utilize. For those with a temporary or permanent disability, CALS offers a Books-By-Mail service.
On top of the 15 library locations, CALS also owns and operates other buildings and events.
Rock It! Lab at 120 River Market Ave Little Rock, AR 72201 is a training building created for entrepreneurs to start their businesses. This lab was created in partnership with Advancing Black Entrepreneurship (ABE) and it provides varied services to the public, such as tech assistance, promotional training, business education, and mentorship.
Ron Robinson Theater at 100 River Market Ave, Little Rock, AR. 72201 is a 315-seat theater located nearby the Main Library in Downtown Little Rock. This theater houses all sorts of events, from speakers to movies to private reservations and more. Notable events include the Rock City Film Festival (formerly known as the Made in Arkansas Film Festival) which has been held at the Robinson Theater for 7 years. Similarly to other CALS meeting spaces, the Ron Robinson Theater can be reserved by patrons for a fee, based on availability due to the events the library maintains in the space.
Museums
The Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, the state's largest cultural institution, is a museum of art and an active center for the visual and performing arts.
The Museum of Discovery features hands-on exhibits in the fields of science, history and technology.