HousingPermits

Metro area in Arkansas · part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock, AR combined area

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR

The Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metro area authorized 3,142 new housing units in 2025. The housing bust cut annual permits by 51%, from 5,748 at the 2004–2006 high to 2,835 in 2008, the third-mildest drop among the 55 metro areas of 500,000 to 999,999 residents. Recent building has not returned to boom levels: the 2021–2025 yearly average was 40% below the 2004–2006 average, the weakest recovery by this measure among the 5 metro areas based in Arkansas.

01,5003,0004,5006,0002004: 5,525 units (3,590 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 1,838 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,748 units (4,196 single-family, 73 in 2–4 unit, 1,479 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,175 units (3,767 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 296 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,477 units (2,877 single-family, 134 in 2–4 unit, 466 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,835 units (1,842 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 853 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,049 units (1,781 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 1,186 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,559 units (1,896 single-family, 232 in 2–4 unit, 1,431 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,230 units (1,514 single-family, 107 in 2–4 unit, 1,609 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,313 units (1,851 single-family, 113 in 2–4 unit, 1,349 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,495 units (1,681 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 744 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,082 units (1,514 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 485 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,699 units (1,487 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 1,142 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,327 units (1,649 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 597 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,215 units (2,087 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 1,067 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,174 units (1,819 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 294 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,005 units (1,921 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 1,030 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,081 units (2,188 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 726 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,635 units (2,505 single-family, 297 in 2–4 unit, 833 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,338 units (1,863 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 1,416 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,664 units (1,932 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 585 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,606 units (2,055 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 451 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,142 units (2,566 single-family, 179 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252005 high · 5,7482014 low · 2,08202,0004,0006,0002004: 5,525 units (3,590 single-family, 97 in 2–4 unit, 1,838 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 5,748 units (4,196 single-family, 73 in 2–4 unit, 1,479 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 4,175 units (3,767 single-family, 112 in 2–4 unit, 296 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 3,477 units (2,877 single-family, 134 in 2–4 unit, 466 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 2,835 units (1,842 single-family, 140 in 2–4 unit, 853 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 3,049 units (1,781 single-family, 82 in 2–4 unit, 1,186 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 3,559 units (1,896 single-family, 232 in 2–4 unit, 1,431 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 3,230 units (1,514 single-family, 107 in 2–4 unit, 1,609 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 3,313 units (1,851 single-family, 113 in 2–4 unit, 1,349 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 2,495 units (1,681 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 744 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 2,082 units (1,514 single-family, 83 in 2–4 unit, 485 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 2,699 units (1,487 single-family, 70 in 2–4 unit, 1,142 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 2,327 units (1,649 single-family, 81 in 2–4 unit, 597 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 3,215 units (2,087 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 1,067 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 2,174 units (1,819 single-family, 61 in 2–4 unit, 294 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 3,005 units (1,921 single-family, 54 in 2–4 unit, 1,030 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 3,081 units (2,188 single-family, 167 in 2–4 unit, 726 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 3,635 units (2,505 single-family, 297 in 2–4 unit, 833 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 3,338 units (1,863 single-family, 59 in 2–4 unit, 1,416 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 2,664 units (1,932 single-family, 147 in 2–4 unit, 585 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 2,606 units (2,055 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 451 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 3,142 units (2,566 single-family, 179 in 2–4 unit, 397 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252005 high · 5,748

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Its 2025 total was only 55% of the 2005 high of 5,748 units, the furthest below a series peak among the 5 metro areas based in Arkansas.

Boom, bust and since

Its peak year is shared by 105 other metro areas, among them Dayton, Oxnard, Kiryas Joel. Its quietest year came later, in 2014 (2,082 units). From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 21%.

Where in the metro

Pulaski County accounted for 49% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Faulkner County for 28%.

  • Pulaski County49% (1,705 in 2025)
  • Faulkner County28% (703 in 2025)
  • Saline County14% (477 in 2025)
  • Lonoke County8.2% (224 in 2025)
  • Grant County1% (33 in 2025)
  • Perry County0% (0 in 2025)

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 28 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Little Rock, with 4,569 units or 30% of the total, followed by Conway with 3,371. Among the three largest, Conway put 56% of its units in five-plus buildings, North Little Rock 18%.

  • Little Rock30% (4,569 units)
  • Conway22% (3,371 units)
  • North Little Rock8.3% (1,281 units)
  • Benton8.2% (1,264 units)
  • Cabot4.3% (660 units)
  • Bryant4.2% (654 units)
  • Sherwood4.2% (651 units)
  • Maumelle3.4% (518 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Houses or apartments

In Little Rock, 71% of the units authorized in 2021–2025 were single-family houses and 24% were in buildings of five or more units, against 34% nationally. The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Boise City (24% in five-plus buildings). Duplexes to fourplexes are unusually common here: 5.1% of units, against 3.5% nationally.

2021–202571.0%71%5.1%23.9%24%2004–200674.8%75%1.8%23.4%23%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202571.0%71%5.1%23.9%24%2004–200674.8%75%1.8%23.4%23%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Relative to population

With 777,607 residents in July 2025, Little Rock authorized 4.0 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Florence, SC (4.0) and Santa Fe (4.0).

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Greensboro-High Point, NC3,8304.936%
Colorado Springs, CO5,8258.645%
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR3,1424.024%
Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT7,30410.726%
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA6,2498.032%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Little Rock beside Provo

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Arkansas. Counting rules.