1. The Fourth Annual Metropolitan Little Rock
Economic Report Card
Presented by The Arkansas Economic Development Institute
and Gregory L. Hamilton Ph.D., Senior Research Economist

2. About AEDI Website: ualr.edu/aedi
The Arkansas Economic Development Institute (AEDI) provides research and strategies to state, community and industrial leaders to promote economic growth and enhance the quality of life in Arkansas.
The AEDI produces original economic research, maintains the Arkansas’ State Census Data Center and Geographic Information Systems Laboratory, and provides community economic development technical assistance and assessment statewide.
Website: ualr.edu/aedi 2

3. Overview Comparison Data Variables
How does the economic performance of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area compare to other Metropolitan Statistical Areas.
Utilized Data from various government and private sector sources
● American Community Survey
● Bureau of Labor Statistics
Variables
● Bureau of Economic Analysis
Conduct general economic comparisons of different economic and quality of life variables. 3
● EMSI

4. Methodology Main Indicators Data Analysis
Five Main Indicators to Explore Economic Performance
● Baseline averages established
● Performance Indicators
● Z Scores calculated for all indicators
● Structure Indicators
● Number of indicators above and
below average calculated
● Quality of Life Indicators
● Indicators ranked based upon
position above or below the average
● Entrepreneurship & Innovation Indicators 4
● Knowledge Based Indicators

5. Ranking 4 3 2 1 Very Good Performance Good Performance
Significantly Above Average
Good Performance
Above Average
Poor Performance
Below Average
Very Poor Performance
Significantly Below Average 5

6. Comparable MSAs Little Rock, AR ● Kansas City, MO ● Springfield, MO
● Greensboro, NC ●
Nashville, TN
● Knoxville, TN
● Tulsa, OK
Oklahoma City, OK ●
● Memphis, TN ●
Little Rock, AR
● Columbia, SC
● Birmingham, AL
● Jackson, MS
● Austin, TX
● Baton Rouge, LA 6

7. Comparative Levels of Economic Activities

8. Performance Indicators
Explanation ●
Real GDP
Value of Economic Output Adjusted for Price Changes ●
Unemployment Rate
Number of People Seeking Work (number of unemployed/labor force) ●
Labor Force Participation
Ratio of Labor Force (employed plus unemployed) to Population
Employment
Number of People within the MSAs Currently Employed ●
Average Worker Productivity
Growth in the Output per Employee ●
Per Capita Personal Income
Measures the Average Income Earned divided by Total Population ● 8

9. Growth Ave Productivity Performance Indicators Overall
Little Rock MSA Results
● Poor Performing Real GDP
● Low Labor Force Participation Averages
● Very Poor Employment Performance
● Very Low Per Capita Personal Income (PCPI)
● Higher Level of Ave Productivity of Employees
● Very Low Unemployment Rate
● Ranks 6th Overall
MSA
Growth Real GDP ( )
Growth Employment ( )
Growth Ave Productivity
( )
Unemployment Rate
( )
LF- Participation ( )
Growth PCPI
Sum of Scores
Performance Indicators Overall
Austin, TX 4 24 1
Baton Rouge, LA 3 2 11 9
Birmingham, AL
Columbia, SC 10
Greensboro-High Point, NC
Jackson, MS
Kansas City, MO 14 5
Knoxville, TN 12 8
LR-NLR-Conway, AR 13 6
Memphis, TN 7
Nashville, TN 22
Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, MO
Tulsa, OK 20 9

10. Structure Indicators Explanation Employment Specialization by Industry
Number of LQ’s>1 by Industry 2016 ●
Occupational Specialization
Number of LQ’s>1 by Occupation 2016 ●
Shift Share Analysis Method
Regional Job Growth is attributed to Industrial Mix and Unique Regional Factors ● 10

11. Job Specialization by Industry

13. Structure Indicators Little Rock MSA Results
● Very Poor Employment Specialization
● Poor Shift Share due to Competitive Effect
● Good Occupational Specialization
● Ranks 8th Overall
MSA
Employment Specialization by Industry 2016
Occupational Specialization 2016
Shift Share
Sum of Scores
Structure Indicators Overall
Austin, TX 4 3 11 1
Baton Rouge, LA 2 7 6
Birmingham, AL 8
Columbia, SC 5
Greensboro-High Point, NC 12
Jackson, MS 10
Kansas City, MO
Knoxville, TN 9
LR-NLR-Conway, AR
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, MO
Tulsa, OK 13

14. Quality of Life Indicators
Explanation
● Crime Rate
Number of Violent and Property Crimes per 100,000 ( )
● Health Care Access
Number of People Employed in Health Care Professions per 1,000 People ( )
● Culture and Recreation
Number of People Employed in Culture and Recreation Jobs per 1,000 People ( )
● Accommodation and
Food Services
Number of People Employed in Hotel and Restaurant Jobs per 1,000 People ( )
● Poverty
Number of People Living in Poverty per 1,000 People ( )
● Means of Transportation
to Work
Ratio of Those Who Carpool, Ride Public Transporation to Work to those that Drive Alone per 1,000 People ( )
● Housing Affordability
Ratio of Household Income and
Household Value ( )
● Air Quality
Air Quality Measures ( )
● Real Estate Tax
Regression of Real Estate Tax Against Quality of Life Indicators ( ) 14

15. Quality of Life Indicators
Little Rock MSA Results
● Very High Crime Rates
● Poor Access to Accommodation and Food Services
● Very High Access to Health Care
● Very Low Poverty Rate
● Good Access to Culture and Recreational Activities
● Very High Housing Affordability
● Ranks 6th Overall
MSA
Crime Rates ( )
Health Care Access per 1,000
Culture and Recreation per 1,000
Accommoda-tion and Food Services per 1,000
Poverty Rate
Means of Transportation to Work
Housing Affordability
Air Quality
Real Estate Tax
Sum of Scores
Quality of Life Indicators Overall
Austin, TX 4 1 2 28
Baton Rouge, LA 3 12 14
Birmingham, AL 16 13
Columbia, SC 23 8
Greensboro-High Point, NC 19
Jackson, MS 21 10
Kansas City, MO 25 5
Knoxville, TN 20 11
LR-NLR-Conway, AR 6
Memphis, TN 26
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK 27
Springfield, MO 24 7
Tulsa, OK 22 9 15

16. Entrepreneurship & Innovation Indicators
Explanation
● Business Churn:
Large and Small Businesses
Change in the Ratio of Small Businesses (250<) to Large Business Establishments (500>)
Number of Establishments per 1,000 workers
Annual Change in the Number of Establishments Per 1,000 workers
● Ratio Non Farm-Proprietor’s Income to Earnings by Place of Work
Average Share
Rate of Change in Share
● Professional and
Technical Services
Index of Annual Change for Professional Technical Services Jobs
● Innovation Index
Ranking of Stats America Innovation Indicators: Human Capital, Business Dynamics, Productivity and Employment, Economic Well-Being, and Innovation 16

17. Entrepreneurship & Innovation Indicators
Little Rock MSA Results
● Very Poor Bus Churn Ratio
● Very Poor NF-Prop EPOW Rate of Change
● Very Low Number of Professional and Tech Service Jobs
● Very High Changes in the Number of Establishments per 1,000 Workers
● Poor Performance on the Innovation Index
● Above Average Change in Pro to EPOW
● Ranked 12th Overall
MSA
Bus. Chum:
Change in the Ratio Lg to Sm Establishments
Bus. Chum: Change in the # of
Establishments Per 1000 Workers
NF-Proprietor’s Share of EPOW
Rate of Change NF Prop Share of Income
Professional & Technical Services
Innovation Index
Sum of Scores
Entrepreneurship and Innovation Indicators Overall
Austin, TX 3 4 1 20
Baton Rouge, LA 2 14 7
Birmingham, AL 11 13
Columbia, SC
Greensboro-High Point, NC
Jackson, MS 16 5
Kansas City, MO 17
Knoxville, TN 10
LR-NLR-Conway, AR 12
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN 15 6
Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, MO
Tulsa, OK 18 17

18. Knowledge Based Indicators
Explanation
● Dependency Ratio
Ratio of Those below 16 and above 74 to Those 16 to 74 ( )
● Stem Jobs
Ratio of Number of STEM Jobs as a Percent of Total Jobs ( )
● High School Graduates
Percent of MSA Population Who Hold a High School Degree ( )
● Bachelor Degree or Higher
Percent of MSA Population Who Hold a Bachelor or Advanced Degree ( ) 18

19. % Bachelors Degree or Higher Knowledge Based Indicators Overall
Little Rock MSA Results
● Above Average Dependency Ratio
● Below Average Number of
College Graduates
● Very High Amount of STEM Jobs
● Ranks 6th Overall
● Very Large Number of
High School Graduates
MSA
Dependency Ratio
STEM Jobs
% High School
Graduates
% Bachelors Degree or Higher
Sum of Scores
Knowledge Based Indicators Overall
Austin, TX 4 3 15 1
Baton Rouge, LA 2 8 9
Birmingham, AL 7 11
Columbia, SC 14
Greensboro-High Point, NC 6 12
Jackson, MS
Kansas City, MO 13
Knoxville, TN
LR-NLR-Conway, AR
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, MO
Tulsa, OK 19

20. 2016 Score Card All Ranked Indicators MSA Structure Indicators
Performance Indicators
Quality of Life Indicators
Entrepreneurship & Innovation Indicators
Knowledge Based Indicators
Overall Rank
Austin, TX 1
Baton Rouge, LA 6 9 14 7 11
Birmingham, AL 8 13
Columbia, SC 5 2
Greensboro-High Point, NC 12
Jackson, MS 10
Kansas City, MO 4 3
Knoxville, TN
LR-NLR-Conway, AR
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK
Springfield, MO
Tulsa, OK 20

21. Final Score Little Rock MSA Results
● Little Rock MSA Ranked 9th out of 14 MSAs
MSA
Final Rank Ordered
Austin, TX 1
Oklahoma City, OK 2
Kansas City, MO 3
Nashville, TN 4
Springfield, MO 5
Columbia, SC 6
Knoxville, TN 7
Tulsa, OK 8
LR-NLR-Conway, AR 9
Jackson, MS 10
Baton Rouge, LA 11
Memphis, TN-MS 12
Birmingham, AL 13
Greensboro-High Point, NC 14 21

22. Little Rock-NLR-Conway MSA
Pros and Cons
POSITIVES
NEGATIVES
● Very High Education Levels
and Access to STEM Jobs
● Very High Crime Rate
● Low Number of Professional
and Tech Service Jobs
● Very High Growth Business
Establishments per 1,000 Employee's
● Above Average
Occupational Specialization
● Very Low Employment
Specialization
●Very Low Unemployment Rates
● Very Low Ratio of Small & Large
Business Establishments
● Housing Affordability
● Very Low PCPI growth
● Above Average Health Care Access
● Very Low Employment
Growth Rates
● Below Average Poverty Rates 22

23. Report Card Results by Year
MSA
2013 Report Card
2014 Report Card
2015 Report Card
2016 Report Card
Austin, TX 1
Above Average
Baton Rouge, LA 6 5
Below Average 11
Birmingham, AL 13
Columbia, SC 9
Greensboro-High Point, NC 14
Jackson, MS 8 12 10
Kansas City, MO 4 3
Knoxville, TN
Average 7
LR-NLR-Conway, AR
Memphis, TN
Nashville, TN
Oklahoma City, OK 2
Springfield, MO
Tulsa, OK 23

24. THANK YOU 2801 South University Avenue Little Rock, AR 72204-1099
Phone: (501) ● FAX (501)
ualr.edu/aedi