Several months ago, there was much buzz and fanfare here in the Natural State, when our fair city of Little Rock topped the Kiplinger List of the 10 Most Livable Cities in America. Every news media in Arkansas picked up the story, and I began to notice that other regional news outlets were covering the story, using the “Little Rock” slant as a geographical marker for a headline. Kiplinger let the Genie out of the bottle on a secret the natives have known forever--Little Rock is a great place to live, work and raise a family.
In case you're not familiar with Kiplinger, they're best known for their newsletter (The Kiplinger Newsletter), which circulates to subscribers interested in financial markets and investing. Widely accepted as a source of sound financial advice, Kiplinger is well-respected within the Investment Community. Their annual list of 10 Great Places To Live is defined by good jobs, reasonably priced homes, decent schools, great health care and manageable size. The spotlight was on cities with metro-area populations of less than 1 million. Statistically speaking, Little Rock has an unemployment rate below the national average (6.6% at the time of the article); Medial Home Value of $195,000, making it an extremely affordable housing market; Excellent Hospitals and Healthcare Per Capita, with UAMS, St. Vincent’s and Baptist; Decent Schools, with Little Rock Central High being cited as one of the top high schools in the country; and a modest but livable median income of $47,731.
Of course the beauty of our city’s “lovely setting in rolling hills between the Ouachita Mountains and the Arkansas River” definitely played in our favor, but most memorable is the fact that Little Rock is the center for all things happening in the Mid-South. Not only is it a key transportation hub, but we are becoming quite known for our tech companies, like Acxiom and HP. We’re the wheel's hub for politics, too. If you don’t believe me just ask Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee.
Beyond all these “stuffed-shirt” statistical reasons why anyone would want to make Little Rock their home, are literally thousands of other reasons. There is so much to do here! From Riverfest to the Clinton Library, to the multitudes of museums, to camping, we have it all right here. And if you’re willing to travel 45 minutes in any direction, there’s even more to do, see, play and eat.
To see the original Kiplinger article in its entirety, follow this link:
10 Great Places to Live-Little Rock, AR
In case you're not familiar with Kiplinger, they're best known for their newsletter (The Kiplinger Newsletter), which circulates to subscribers interested in financial markets and investing. Widely accepted as a source of sound financial advice, Kiplinger is well-respected within the Investment Community. Their annual list of 10 Great Places To Live is defined by good jobs, reasonably priced homes, decent schools, great health care and manageable size. The spotlight was on cities with metro-area populations of less than 1 million. Statistically speaking, Little Rock has an unemployment rate below the national average (6.6% at the time of the article); Medial Home Value of $195,000, making it an extremely affordable housing market; Excellent Hospitals and Healthcare Per Capita, with UAMS, St. Vincent’s and Baptist; Decent Schools, with Little Rock Central High being cited as one of the top high schools in the country; and a modest but livable median income of $47,731.
Of course the beauty of our city’s “lovely setting in rolling hills between the Ouachita Mountains and the Arkansas River” definitely played in our favor, but most memorable is the fact that Little Rock is the center for all things happening in the Mid-South. Not only is it a key transportation hub, but we are becoming quite known for our tech companies, like Acxiom and HP. We’re the wheel's hub for politics, too. If you don’t believe me just ask Bill Clinton and Mike Huckabee.
Beyond all these “stuffed-shirt” statistical reasons why anyone would want to make Little Rock their home, are literally thousands of other reasons. There is so much to do here! From Riverfest to the Clinton Library, to the multitudes of museums, to camping, we have it all right here. And if you’re willing to travel 45 minutes in any direction, there’s even more to do, see, play and eat.
To see the original Kiplinger article in its entirety, follow this link:
10 Great Places to Live-Little Rock, AR
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