Little Rock Neighborhoods

Little Rock

Little Rock is an amazing blend of the best elements of a larger metro combined with the ease and charm of a bucolic hometown. The greater metro is neither a sprawling, traffic-congested headache nor does it lack the recreation, shopping, and dining you’d expect in a larger city. In short, Little Rock is just right.

The real heart of Little Rock is the neighborhoods sprinkled throughout the city that define the city’s charm. Whether you are looking for a home in a fun, funky and artsy area or a charming bungalow within walking distance to local shops, restaurants and markets it’s here and waiting for you.

The city is divided into larger districts with smaller neighborhoods sprinkled throughout.

• Midtown is the central district of the city and home to UAMS, the Little Rock Zoo, War Memorial Stadium and some of the city’s best shopping. Midtown has several neighborhoods, including Hillcrest, The Heights and Riverdale.
  • Hillcrest has some of the most desired real estate in Little Rock.  Running north of Markham Street and west of downtown, Hillcrest is full of beautiful turn-of-the-century houses with their original architecture.  It is a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly neighborhood with small shops, a post office, grocery stores and parks just a short distance away.
  • Located north of Hillcrest, the Heights offers some of the most beautiful streets in the city.  Like Hillcrest, the Heights has many well-kept older homes in a small neighborhood.  The area is characterized by large, shady trees and is packed with upscale boutiques, restaurants, and art galleries.
  • Home to some of Little Rock’s best restaurants, the Verizon Wireless offices and the temporary home of the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, Riverdale attracts young professionals for work and play.
  • Cammack Village is actually a tiny town all its own near the Heights with a population of 831 people.  It has its own one-room police station next door to the elementary school and the community pool.  Real estate is in high demand due to its quaint older homes and excellent school programs.  The area is beautifully landscaped and includes a fenced-in park within walking distance of most houses in the neighborhood.
  • The University Park area of Midtown is close to Park Plaza mall and contains many older, well-kept homes.  Convenient to retail shopping, the Little Rock Zoo, and several city parks make this an enviable neighborhood to live in.
• Downtown is the business center of Little Rock, but it’s hardly fair to say it’s all work and no play. It’s also home to the River Market, Quapaw Quarter, SoMa and Creative Corridor neighborhoods.
  • Located just west of downtown Little Rock, the Capitol View/Stifft Station area claims around 1500 homes in the east-central part of the city.  The Capitol View Historic District, in the eastern part of the neighborhood, contains mostly early 20th-century craftsman houses and bungalows, along with a few Queen Anne and Shotgun houses.  Residents enjoy the short trek to Little Rock’s downtown business district and the historic charm of the neighborhood as well as the affordable real estate.
  • The Quapaw Quarter is an area of nine square miles that encompasses the oldest and most historic buildings in Little Rock.  These include the Governor’s Mansion and the MacArthur Museum of Military History.  The area is also closely associated with Central High School and MacArthur Park.  While some of the buildings are open to the public, most are residential homes that continue to uphold the integrity of their original designs.
  • In the River Market District, warehouses have been converted to spacious loft apartments and towering new condominiums offer a stunning view of the city.  Small shops, galleries, music venues and energetic nightlife contribute to the overall cosmopolitan feel of the area.
• The area known as West Little Rock is a mixture of middle-class and wealthier neighborhoods. The shopping district is also home to many large retail chain stores.  Pleasant Valley is home to a country club and golf course and large, beautiful houses.  It is one of the most elaborate, expensive areas in the city. Chenal Valley also has a golf course and continues to build new housing developments. Peppered around these neighborhoods are more affordable subdivisions that don’t include golf courses.

• The Park Hill historic district was annexed to North Little Rock in 1946 and was the city’s first planned suburban development.  With antique houses built as early as 1922, Park Hill residents take a lot of pride in maintaining the integrity of their neighborhood. Like Little Rock’s Heights and Hillcrest, Park Hill is known for its small, locally-owned shops and boutiques.
• The Lakewood area is so named because it surrounds a lot of, well, lakes.  Along with having some of the nicest homes in the city, Lakewood also enjoys close proximity to the McCain Mall, a beautiful park, and the Old Mill, featured in the opening credits of Gone With the Wind.
• North Little Rock’s Downtown Argenta Arts District features two breweries, tree lined streets with affordable houses, townhomes and apartments just minutes from Simmons Bank Arena, Dickey-Stephens Ballpark, the Argenta Plaza with its 40-foot stage, projection wall, oversized swings, and fountains, and Little Rock’s Robinson Center. It’s an entertainment lover’s dream.

• The communities of Benton and Bryant sit just southwest of Little Rock along Interstate 30. Both are known for their reasonable commute, affordable real estate, and public schools. There are plenty of retail options and restaurants with a small-town feel.
• Maumelle is northwest of Little Rock just right across the river. The citizens of Maumelle enjoy their running trails, community pond, and newly built high school. It is also home to the Country Club for Arkansas for the golf enthusiast!
• The little town of Sherwood, located north of North Little Rock, has a lot to brag about. Recently named one of the fastest-growing cities in the state, Sherwood has an extremely low crime rate, good public schools, beautiful homes, and plenty of recreational facilities.