The documents listed below are available free. They are generally the most up-to-date source on the latest demographic and economic trends in Central Arkansas. The annual Demographic Review and Outlook is generally published in May or June, while the annual Economic Review and Outlook is published in November or December.

These documents are in Adobe® Acrobat ® Portable Document Format (PDF). In order to view these files, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader which you can download here.

Metrotrends 2012 Economic Review & Outlook. Articles include: Economic recovering & employment, Manufacturing 2012, Suburban Rebuild, Sustainable Success in SoMa, Local Housing Market, and Construction Value Trends.


Metrotrends 2012 Demographic Review and Outlook. Articles include: Central Arkansas in 2040, Commuting and Housing Rankings, The Coming Decade, Demographic Outlook for 2012.

Metrotrends 2011 Economic Review and Outlook. Articles include: Tracking Recovery in 2011, Building a Green Economy, Construction Value Trends, Economic Outlook for 2012.

Metrotrends 2011 Demographic Review and Outlook Census 2010, migration trends, shifting ethnic identity, the new normal in housing, core area comebacks, and demographic outlook 2011.

Metrotrends 2010 Economic Review and Outlook Transcending the Great Recession, 2007-09 Retail Trends, and Economic Outlook for 2011 are just a few topics discussed in this issue of the Economic Review and Outlook.

Metrotrends 2010 Demographic Review and Outlook Local notes on shifting demographics of recession, population estimates, and recent housing trends.

Metrotrends 2009 Economic Review and Outlook Local notes on national economic crisis, recent housing trends, construction value trends, and economic outlook for 2010.


Metrotrends 2009 Demographic Review and Outlook Housing boom-bust perspective, housing permit figures, housing trends, population estimates for 2009, and comparison of local and national housing trends.


Metrotrends 2008 Economic Review and Outlook Economic trends, growing and changing in Conway, petroleum prices in 2008, the central Arkansas carbon footprint, housing construction trends, housing permit value trends, and economic outlook for the coming year.

Metrotrends 2008 Demographic Review and Outlook Population estimates 2008, housing permits 2007, comparison of local and national housing trends, background on central Arkansas education and talent migration, and intra-regional migration trends.

Metrotrends 2007 Economic Review and Outlook Employment, incomes, building permits, local and national housing trends, background on peak oil and the local energy question, and economic outlook for 2008.

Metrotrends 2007 Demographic Review and Outlook 2007 Population Estimates, 2006 Housing Permits, and Special Census.

Metrotrends 2006 Economic Review and Outlook Employment, incomes, building permits, emerging urban form, exurban growth, changing labor force.

Metrotrends 2006 Demographic Review and Outlook 2006 Population Estimates, 2005 Housing Permits, migration trends, regional ethnic diversity.

Metrotrends 2005 Economic Review and Outlook Commuting flows, employment, incomes, building permits, critical industries, high technology future, retail trends in central Arkansas.

Metrotrends 2005 Demographic Review and Outlook Population estimates for 2005, building permits 2004, multi-family momentum, comparison of southeastern metropolitan core counties.

Metrotrends 2004 Economic Review and Outlook Employment and income trends, Metro 2030 employment projections, future labor force, Little Rock region as a wealth builder, large commercial projects.

Metrotrends 2004 Demographic Review and Outlook Population estimates for 2004, building permits 2003, population projections to 2030, household futures in central Arkansas.

Metrotrends 2003 Economic Review and Outlook Employment and income trends, growth in workers and jobs 1990-2000, commuting trends, outsourcing, jobless economic recovery.