Hardwood flooring cost in Little Rock, AR
Local estimate from BLS wage data and BEA price levels. Reviewed Nov 4, 2026.
- Typical range (500 sq ft)
- $4,750 – $10,900
- Per sq ft
- $9.45 – $22
- before permit
- Versus US midpoint
- −13%
- US $9,000
- Rank of 300 metros
- #281
- 1 = most expensive
If you want to install hardwood flooring in Little Rock, plan on $4,750 to $10,900 for 500 sq ft, all in. Per sq ft, that is $9.45 to $22 for materials and labor, with the permit on top. The local midpoint runs 13% lower than the national one. Carpenters earn a median of $23.10 an hour in the Little Rock area, 21% below the US median of $29.12.
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Estimated cost for 500 sq ft in Little Rock, AR, standard level
$6,600 to $9,050
About $13 to $18 per sq ft before permits. Labor is about 37% of the bill.
| Part | Low | High |
|---|---|---|
| Materials | $4,050 | $5,750 |
| Labor | $2,500 | $3,300 |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 |
| Total | $6,600 | $9,050 |
Cost breakdown for 500 sq ft in Little Rock, AR
| Part of the job | Low | Midpoint | High | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Materials | $2,800 | $4,900 | $7,000 | 63% |
| Labor | $1,950 | $2,900 | $3,850 | 37% |
| Permits and fees | $0 | $0 | $0 | 0% |
| Total | $4,750 | $7,800 | $10,900 | 100% |
What is behind the Little Rock number
We price the labor side from BLS wage data for 2 trades: carpenters at 70%, floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) at 30%. Weighted together, Little Rock wages are 0.77 times the national level. Labor makes up about 37% of the midpoint estimate (42% at national prices).
On the materials line, the BEA goods price index for the Little Rock metro is 93.6 (US = 100). The midpoint materials bill for 500 sq ft comes to $4,900, compared with $5,250 at national prices. Permit and inspection fees are scaled by the broader index (89.4) and land at $0 to $0.
Data note: 30% of the labor weighting for this project uses a statewide median because BLS has no published metro figure for that trade in Little Rock. The wage table below marks each row.
How Little Rock compares
Of the five closest metros, 3 are cheaper than Little Rock. Fort Smith is the lowest at about $7,550 (midpoint, 500 sq ft), 125 miles away.
| Area | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, ARthis page | $4,750 – $10,900 | $7,800 | |
| Jonesboro, AR120 miles | $4,600 – $10,600 | $7,650 | −2% |
| Fort Smith, AR125 miles | $4,550 – $10,600 | $7,550 | −3% |
| Fayetteville, AR135 miles | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | +3% |
| Texarkana, TX135 miles | $4,600 – $10,600 | $7,650 | −2% |
| Monroe, LA145 miles | $4,750 – $10,900 | $7,850 | +1% |
| Arkansas (statewide) | $4,750 – $10,900 | $7,800 | level |
| United States | $5,500 – $12,500 | $9,000 | +15% |
Across 300 US metros, Little Rock comes in at #281 from the top. The priciest is Honolulu, HI at $11,500; the cheapest is Brownsville, TX at $7,300 (midpoints, 500 sq ft). Statewide, Little Rock is 0% above the Arkansas figure.
Other Arkansas metros
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville, AR | 275,180 jobs | $4,850 – $11,200 | $8,000 | +3% |
| Fort Smith, AR | 95,560 jobs | $4,550 – $10,600 | $7,550 | −3% |
| Jonesboro, AR | 60,620 jobs | $4,600 – $10,600 | $7,650 | −2% |
Cities with a workforce like Little Rock's
Big cities and small ones price differently, so here is Little Rock against the 4 metros with the closest total employment.
| Metro | Size | Range | Midpoint | vs. here |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greensboro, NC | 365,410 jobs | $5,050 – $11,500 | $8,250 | +6% |
| Worcester, MA | 349,880 jobs | $5,950 – $13,400 | $9,650 | +24% |
| Dayton, OH | 372,660 jobs | $5,300 – $12,000 | $8,650 | +11% |
| Durham, NC | 344,020 jobs | $5,050 – $11,600 | $8,350 | +7% |
Hardwood flooring: what moves the price in Little Rock
Permit
Flooring rarely needs a permit, so no permit fee is included in this estimate.
Solid versus engineered
Solid hardwood is $11-$25 per sq ft installed and engineered hardwood is $9-$20 (HomeGuide).
Materials and labor
Materials are $6-$15 per sq ft and installation labor adds $3-$10 per sq ft.
Related projects, priced for Little Rock
Because every project leans on different trades, Little Rock's wage level does not move all prices equally. Against the US midpoint, kitchen remodel runs −10% and laminate flooring −18%.
| Project | Size | Range | vs. US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Laminate flooring | 500 sq ft | $1,600 – $5,800 | −18% |
| Tile flooring | 200 sq ft | $1,750 – $8,600 | −17% |
| Kitchen remodel | 120 sq ft | $16,700 – $28,400 | −10% |
| Bathroom remodel | 45 sq ft | $3,950 – $19,600 | −16% |
Little Rock: what basic, standard and premium work costs
Three bands are cut from the same cited range and localized for Little Rock wages and prices. They overlap on purpose: a good standard job and a modest premium job can cost the same. The grid below prices the same bands at 3 common sizes.
Basic
$4,750 to $7,200
Standard solid oak, simple layout
Standard
$6,600 to $9,050
Wider planks or a better grade, some stairs
Premium
$8,400 to $10,900
Exotic species, herringbone or complex layout
| Size | Basic | Standard | Premium |
|---|---|---|---|
| one room (200 sq ft) | $1,900 – $2,900 | $2,650 – $3,600 | $3,350 – $4,350 |
| main floor (500 sq ft) | $4,750 – $7,200 | $6,600 – $9,050 | $8,400 – $10,900 |
| whole house (1,200 sq ft) | $11,400 – $17,300 | $15,800 – $21,700 | $20,200 – $26,100 |
Little Rock labor market for hardwood floor
Wages are the part of this estimate that changes most from town to town. 2 trades carry the job here, and each is compared with its US median. The weighted result for Little Rock is 0.77 times the national level.
For carpenters (47-2031, weighted 70%) the local median is $23.10 an hour, which is 21% below the national $29.12. The middle half of them earn between $20.08 and $27.36 an hour. BLS counts 1,080 of them working in the area, 30.1 for every 10,000 jobs (US: 43.1), so the local bench is thinner than average.
Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) carry 30% of the labor weighting. BLS does not publish this trade for the Little Rock metro, so we used the Arkansas statewide median: $19.59 an hour against $27.15 for the US. The middle half of them earn between $15.87 and $23.48 an hour.
Quotes come from real crews, not medians. If the carpenters on your job are paid at the 75th percentile ($27.36 an hour) instead of the median, the labor line grows by about $380. At the 25th percentile ($20.08) it shrinks by about $270. The total moves by 4.9% or 3.5%, so wages alone rarely explain a quote that is far outside our range.
For context on the local economy, BLS counts 358,210 jobs in the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway area. That makes it the 72nd largest of the 300 metros we cover, with 0.23% of US employment.
| Trade | Weight | 25th pct | Median | 75th pct | US median | Ratio | Level used |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carpenters (47-2031) | 70% | $20.08 | $23.10 | $27.36 | $29.12 | 0.79 | metro |
| Floor layers (except carpet, wood and hard tiles) (47-2042) | 30% | $15.87 | $19.59 | $23.48 | $27.15 | 0.72 | state |
| Blended | 100% | 0.77 | |||||
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Hardwood flooring in Little Rock: your questions
+How much does it cost to install hardwood flooring in Little Rock?
For 500 sq ft, expect $4,750 to $10,900 in the Little Rock area. A standard-spec job lands at $6,600 to $9,050. Small jobs usually cost more per sq ft and large ones less.
+What is the price per sq ft for hardwood floor in Little Rock?
About $9.45 to $22 per sq ft for materials and labor, plus $0 to $0 for the permit if one is needed. The US range is $11 to $25.
+Is hardwood floor cheaper in Little Rock or Jonesboro?
Jonesboro is 120 miles away. The midpoint for 500 sq ft there is $7,650, which is 2% less than Little Rock ($7,800). Wage and materials indexes both feed that gap.
+How much of the bill is labor in Little Rock?
About 37% at the midpoint, or $2,900 out of $7,800. Materials are 63% and permits 0%. Nationally, labor is 42%.
+What would main floor (500 sq ft) cost in Little Rock?
$4,750 to $10,900. Pick a different size in the estimator above to get your own number.
+Does hardwood floor need a permit in Little Rock?
Often, but rules are set by your city or county building office, so call before you hire. Budget $0 to $0 for fees in the Little Rock area (our national range of $0 to $0 scaled by the local price level).
+Is Little Rock expensive for hardwood floor compared with the rest of Arkansas?
Little Rock is 0% above the Arkansas statewide estimate ($7,800 at the midpoint). We cover 4 metros in Arkansas; see the state page to compare them.
+What do carpenters earn in Little Rock?
The BLS median is $23.10 an hour in the Little Rock area, compared with $29.12 nationally. The 25th to 75th percentile range is $20.08 to $27.36.
+What do basic and premium hardwood floor work cost in Little Rock?
For 500 sq ft, basic work runs $4,750 to $7,200 and premium work $8,400 to $10,900. Basic means: standard solid oak, simple layout. Premium means: exotic species, herringbone or complex layout.
Hardwood flooring near Little Rock
Where these numbers come from
Base prices are national ranges from the sources below. We scale labor by local BLS wages, materials by BEA goods prices and permits by the BEA all-items price level. Full method on the methodology page.