Arkansas
Among the top 12% of US states for affordability.
AffordabilityAffordability: grade A, better than 88% of US states
WeatherWeather: grade C, better than 41% of US states
Safety & WellbeingSafety & Wellbeing: grade F, better than 10% of US states
Getting AroundGetting Around: grade D, better than 20% of US states
Lifestyle & ConnectivityLifestyle & Connectivity: grade D, better than 22% of US states
- top 4% for monthly rent
- top 4% for monthly owner costs
- bottom 4% for sales tax
Arkansas is a U.S. state with about 3,019,000 residents. It grades A for affordability and F for safety & wellbeing. Standout strengths include monthly rent, monthly owner costs, and cost of living. It rates lower on sales tax and violent crime.
Official websitearkansas.gov (opens in new tab)
Livability factors
Affordability
Median Household Income$57k6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Cost of Living$44kbetter than 92% of US states
Home Value$166k6th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Monthly Rent$856better than 96% of US states
Monthly Owner Costs$1kbetter than 96% of US states
Property Tax Rate0.60%better than 75% of US states
Income Tax4.37%better than 74% of US states
Sales Tax9.45%better than 4% of US states
Estimated total tax burden9.23%better than 78% of US states
Unemployment5.2%better than 49% of US states
Weather
Winter Temp (Jan)40°F73rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Summer Temp (Jul)81°F82nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Precipitation51.7 in86th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Annual Snowfall3.7 inbetter than 78% of US states
Sunny Days236 daysbetter than 61% of US states
Summer Humidity70°Fbetter than 10% of US states
Comfortable Days75 daysbetter than 30% of US states
Safety & Wellbeing
Natural Disaster Risk76.4better than 67% of US states
Air Quality49 AQIbetter than 30% of US states
School Quality43.6better than 20% of US states
Violent Crime2049/100kbetter than 4% of US states
Property Crime2442/100kbetter than 12% of US states
Community
Population3,018,66935th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Median Age38.845th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Racial Diversity0.3945th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Male/Female Ratio0.9841st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Political LeaningR+2890th percentile — neutral, not ranked
White (%)69.7%53rd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Black (%)15.1%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Hispanic (%)8.1%41st percentile — neutral, not ranked
Asian (%)1.5%22nd percentile — neutral, not ranked
Other / Multiracial (%)5.6%78th percentile — neutral, not ranked
Getting Around
Commute Time22 minbetter than 80% of US states
Walkability6.7/20better than 8% of US states
Airport Distance124 mibetter than 18% of US states
Lifestyle & Connectivity
Broadband Access82.4%better than 6% of US states
Amenities Nearby3.25better than 41% of US states
Park & Nature AccessGoodbetter than 53% of US states
Frequently asked questions
- Is Arkansas an affordable place to live?
- Arkansas is relatively affordable. Its cost-of-living index is $44k, better than 92% of comparable areas.
- What is the median home value in Arkansas?
- The median home value in Arkansas is $166k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- What is the median household income in Arkansas?
- Median household income in Arkansas is $57k, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- How much is rent in Arkansas?
- Median gross rent in Arkansas is $856 a month, per the U.S. Census ACS (5-Year).
- Is Arkansas safe?
- Arkansas is higher-crime than most comparable areas, with a violent crime rate of 2049/100k (better than 4%). Property crime is 2442/100k.
- What is the weather like in Arkansas?
- Arkansas averages 81°F in July and 40°F in January, with 51.7 in of annual precipitation and about 236 sunny days a year.
- How are the schools in Arkansas?
- Public-school quality in Arkansas is below average, scoring better than 20% of comparable areas on a composite of graduation rates, spending, and student-teacher ratio.
- How long is the commute in Arkansas?
- The average one-way commute in Arkansas is 22 min.
Best places to live in Arkansas
Top cities in Arkansas
Counties in Arkansas
Data sources
- EPA Air Quality (AQI)
- EPA Smart Location Database
- EPI Family Budget Calculator
- FAA airport enplanements
- FBI Uniform Crime Reports
- FEMA National Risk Index
- MIT Election Data Lab (2020)
- NCES School Finance Survey
- NOAA Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA nClimGrid
- OpenStreetMap
- Tax Foundation + state revenue depts
- U.S. Census ACS (5-Year)
- USGS Protected Areas (PAD-US)