The base, briefly
Little Rock Air Force Base sits in Jacksonville, Arkansas, about 17 miles northeast of downtown Little Rock. It's home to the 19th Airlift Wing, which flies the C-130 Hercules and trains the majority of the Air Force's C-130 aircrews, alongside the Air Force Reserve's 913th Airlift Group. It's the only active-duty Air Force installation in Arkansas, which makes Jacksonville and the surrounding towns the hub for military family life in the state.
If you're PCSing in
Base housing, the housing office, and the standard in-processing steps (ID cards, medical/dental enrollment, school liaison office) follow the normal Air Force process — your gaining unit's sponsor is still the best first point of contact for specifics. Off base, most incoming families start their housing search in Jacksonville for the shortest commute, or look at Cabot, Sherwood, North Little Rock, or Little Rock itself depending on schools and commute tolerance. See our area-by-area comparison for the tradeoffs.
If you're separating or retiring in place
A lot of families stationed at Little Rock AFB end up staying in the area when their time in service ends — it's one of the more common "last duty station becomes home" situations in the Air Force. If that's your plan, a few things are worth doing before terminal leave starts:
- Start the VA disability claims process early if applicable — it affects both your eventual property tax exemption eligibility and your budget (see our property tax exemption guide).
- Get pre-approved with a VA loan lender before you're off terminal leave, not after — see our VA loan guide.
- Decide whether you want to stay close to the base community (Jacksonville, Cabot, Sherwood) or move further out now that a commute no longer matters.
If you're moving back after a career elsewhere
Some retirees who served at Little Rock AFB earlier in their career come back to Central Arkansas for retirement specifically because of the tax treatment (no state tax on military retirement pay), the cost of living, and familiarity with the area. If that's you, treat it like any other out-of-state move — the local housing market and school boundaries may have changed more than you'd expect since you were last stationed here.
Getting oriented on the ground
A house-hunting trip goes a lot further with a local agent lining up showings around your schedule and flagging things a listing photo won't show you. See who we recommend for incoming and separating military families →