50
States ranked
1,312
Cities scored
49
Data sources
11
Scoring categories
America’s Dashboard

America's Dashboard ranks and scores all 50 US states and1,312 cities using real government data. Compare economy, safety, health, education, affordability, and more — free, transparent, and updated with the latest federal statistics.

Updated as each source publishes its latest release

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Data sources

Rankings are computed from publicly available federal and state government datasets, supplemented by a handful of published indexes (such as the Tax Foundation, Child Care Aware of America and Zillow Research). Figures are used as each source publishes them, including the FBI's own state crime estimates; nothing is synthetic or modeled by us, and every source is cited below.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, LAUS annual averages·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, estimated crimes by state·
  • CDC NCHS U.S. State Life Tables·
  • CDC BRFSS·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS (table S2701)·
  • NAEP, The Nation's Report Card·
  • EDFacts adjusted cohort graduation rate (NCES)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates·
  • Cook Political Report, PVI·
  • Tax Foundation, Facts & Figures·
  • ALEC Rich States Poor States·
  • WalletHub Tax Burden Study·
  • Zillow Research, Zillow Home Value Index·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities·
  • EPA AirData, Median AQI by County·
  • EIA State Electricity Profiles·
  • FEMA National Risk Index·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, Net Domestic Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS Broadband Subscriptions·
  • National Park Service API·
  • USGS Protected Areas Database (PAD-US)·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 1-year Commuting·
  • FHWA Highway Statistics·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns·
  • EIA residential electricity prices·
  • EIA State Energy Data System, motor gasoline prices·
  • EIA Natural Gas Prices, residential·
  • Child Care Aware of America, Price & Supply·
  • Tax Foundation, State Income Tax Rates and Brackets·
  • BEA Regional Price Parities, goods·
  • NCES Common Core of Data (CCD)·
  • EDFacts ACGR Graduation Rates·
  • NCES School District Finance Survey (F-33)·
  • BEA GDP by State (SAGDP9)·
  • NASBO Fiscal Survey of States·
  • Census Bureau State Government Finances·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts Fiscal 50·
  • Pew Charitable Trusts, State Pension Funding·
  • S&P/Moody's via Ballotpedia·
  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES·
  • IRS Statistics of Income, State-to-State Migration·
  • U.S. Census Bureau, ACS State-to-State Migration Flows·
  • Zillow Research, Home Values, Rents & Market Metrics·
  • FBI Crime Data Explorer, city police agency reports·
  • CDC PLACES, city health estimates·
  • NOAA U.S. Climate Normals·
  • EPA National Walkability Index
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Home/States/Arkansas

2026 edition·South·Pop. 3,114,791·Capital Little Rock·25th state, admitted 1836·Cook PVI R+15

Is Arkansas a Good Place to Live? Arkansas Rankings, Cost of Living, Crime & Taxes

Arkansas ranks #48 of 50 with a composite score of 40.1 and a D grade, strongest in affordability (#2) and weakest in safety (#47). The median household earns $62,106 (23% below the national median), homes typically cost $227,264 (38% below the national average), and violent crime is 532 per 100,000 (62% above the national average).

Editor's verdict
The case for Arkansas is the monthly bill and little else: a family of four at $75,000 comes out at a $8,363 surplus, #4, and infant childcare costs $9,727. The composite misleads: it averages Northwest Arkansas, where Bentonville and Bella Vista grow fast, with a Delta near the bottom on health and safety.
Compare Arkansas with its neighbors →Best cities in Arkansas →How the score works →
Composite score
40.1D
#48 of 50 · #13 in the South
Top 10 in
Affordability #2
Middle of the pack
Growth #17, Fiscal Health #33, Outdoor Access #36, Education #40, Livability #40
Bottom 10 in
Transportation #41, Economy #45, Environment #45, Safety #47, Health #47
NumbersNumbersScorecardScoresCostCostTaxesTaxesSafetySafetyJobsJobsSchools & healthSchoolsMovingMovingCitiesCitiesBest forBest forNeighborsNeighborsFAQFAQ
Top ↑

Arkansas by the numbers

Six measures every state is judged on, each with Arkansas's rank of 50 and the national figure beside it.

Median household income
$62,106
#47 of 50, 1 = highest · US $80,903
Typical home value
$227,264
#5 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US $368,697
Cost of living index
86.9
#1 of 50, 1 = cheapest · US 100
Violent crime per 100K
532
#48 of 50, 1 = safest · US 328
Unemployment rate
4.1%
#29 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 3.95%
Total tax burden
8.61%
#23 of 50, 1 = lowest · US 8.74%

Sources, latest releases: Census Bureau ACS (income), Zillow Research (home value), BEA Regional Price Parities (cost index), FBI state crime estimates (crime), BLS LAUS (unemployment), WalletHub tax burden study (taxes). Rank 1 is the best value in each measure: highest income, lowest cost, lowest crime.

→Read the Arkansas overview

Arkansas scores above the national average in 2 of 11 categories and ranks #13 of 14 states in the South, behind 12 regional neighbors. Its biggest edge over the country is typical home value ($227,264, 38% below the national average); its biggest shortfall is violent crime rate (532, 62% above the national average). That mix of top-10 finishes (1) and bottom-10 finishes (5) is why the composite alone undersells the tradeoffs a mover here faces.

What stands out
  • Childcare at $9,727, #5 cheapest nationally, is the line that makes a two-earner family's budget work here and fails it near the coasts.
  • Northwest Arkansas, Walmart's home ground, is a different state: Bentonville is the richest tracked city, with homes near the national figure.
  • Transit carries 0.3% of commuters, dead last of 50; every errand, every job and every hospital visit assumes a car.

Where does Arkansas rank in each category?

All 11 categories that make up the composite, heaviest weight first. Arkansas is top 10 in 1 and bottom 10 in 5.

CategoryScoreRankGradeWeightUS avgThe numbers behind it
Economy28.7#45 of 50D15%47.1Its unemployment rate is 4.1% and median household income is $62,106.
Safety48.9#47 of 50D12%68.9The FBI estimates 531.8 violent crimes and 1,644.9 property crimes per 100,000 residents.
Health28.0#47 of 50D12%54.4Life expectancy is 73.9 years, 38.9% of adults have obesity, and 9.4% of residents are uninsured.
Education49.3#40 of 50C12%57.5Eighth graders average 266 in NAEP math and 255 in reading, and the high school graduation rate is 88.2%.
Affordability89.7#2 of 50A+10%65.2Typical home value $227,264 (3.7x median income); cost of living index 86.9 (100 = US); center-based infant care $9,727 a year.
Fiscal Health56.2#33 of 50C+8%58.1It carries $1,820 of debt per resident, has 78% of pensions funded, and holds a AA credit rating.
Growth45.8#17 of 50B+7%38.8Population grew 0.6% last year; Census net domestic migration is +4.7 per 1,000 residents (the Moving section below uses IRS household counts, a different series).
Transportation42.9#41 of 50C7%49.8The average commute is 22.7 minutes, 0.3% of workers use public transit, and 8.6% work from home.
Livability24.8#40 of 50C7%34.3It has 1.629 restaurants and 0.011 arts venues per 1,000 residents, plus 0.044 bars and 0.057 social associations per 1,000.
Outdoor Access14.7#36 of 50C6%29.410.5% of its land is public, with 1.96 recreation facilities per 10,000 residents.
Environment25.8#45 of 50D4%42.5Its median air quality index is 42, 12% of its electricity is renewable, and its FEMA disaster risk score is 39.6.

Weight, US average and the evidence sentence for each category are shown on wider screens.

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. US avg is the mean score of the 50 states. Click a category for its 50-state ranking.

Category shape

Arkansas's 11 category scores. A balanced state fills the wheel evenly; Arkansas bulges toward affordability and dips at safety.

How expensive is Arkansas?

Arkansas's cost of living index is 86.9 against a national baseline of 100, 13% below the national average and #1 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The typical home is worth $227,264 (38% below the national average); buying it takes an income of about $61,092, $1,014 less than the median household earns. Inside the state the spread is wide: among tracked cities, Pine Bluff is cheapest (index 83) and West Memphis priciest (92.2).

Housing market snapshot · August

Cool market
Typical home value
$227,264
+3.6% in 1 yr · +21.2% in 5 yr · national $369K
Mortgage payment
$1,169/mo
P&I, 20% down, current rates
Income needed
$61K
median earns $62K (-2%)
Rent, Little Rock
$1,265/mo
buying cheaper by $73 vs. a $1,192 metro payment
Price cuts · days
24% · 80
national 26% · 53 days

Ranked #46 of 50 most expensive by typical value and #8 on price relative to income (1 = most affordable). The median household earns enough to buy the typical home.

Full Arkansas housing market: 26-year chart, rent vs. buy, cities →

What a household keeps at $75,000

HouseholdArkansasMedian stateRank
Family of fourTwo adults, two kids, one in daycare+$8,363−$11,758#4 of 50
Single adultOne-bedroom rent, no childcare+$37,972+$31,418#4 of 50
Retiree coupleOwn the home, no payroll tax+$43,012+$35,970#4 of 50

Take-home pay minus housing, childcare, utilities, groceries and transport for a $75,000 household, from the affordability engine. Positive = money left over; negative = costs exceed take-home. Rank 1 = most left over.

Electricity price
12.84¢/kWh
#5 of 50 · US 17.84¢/kWh
Natural gas price
$19.25/Mcf
#43 of 50 · US $15.83/Mcf
Gasoline price
$2.92/gal
#5 of 50 · US $3.32/gal
Price level for goods
93.6
#1 of 50 · US 100
Center-based infant care, per year
$9,727
#5 of 50 · US $15,633
Editor's note

Arkansas ranks #1 on the cost index, 86.9 against 100: electricity 28% below the national average, goods 6% below the national average, gasoline at $2.92 per gallon. Bentonville and Fayetteville price near the national typical home while Pine Bluff and Texarkana sell for a fraction, so the state figure of $227,264 describes neither. Newcomers underestimate the sales tax, 9.46% combined and among the highest anywhere, and a July electricity bill after five months of air conditioning. A single adult at $75,000 comes out at a $37,972 surplus, #4; a retiree couple at a $43,012 surplus.

  • Run your own budget for Arkansas →
  • Arkansas housing market →
  • Housing rankings →

What are taxes like in Arkansas?

Arkansas's tax mix is high sales tax, with income and property taxes in the middle of the pack. The total state and local tax burden comes to 8.61% of income, 0.1 points below the national average (#23 of 50, 1 = lightest). Property tax is 0.59% of home value (#14), and combined sales tax averages 9.46% (#47).

Total tax burden
8.61%
#23 of 50 · US 8.74%
Top income tax rate
3.9%
#14 of 50 · US avg 5.46%
Effective property tax
0.59%
#14 of 50 · US 1.02%
Combined sales tax
9.46%
#47 of 50 · US 6.66%

Tax Foundation (rates) and WalletHub tax burden study (burden as a share of income), latest releases. Rank 1 = lowest. Income tax is the top marginal rate including typical local taxes where they apply.

Can the state pay its bills?

Credit rating
AA
S&P / Moody's
Rainy-day fund
6.7%
of spending · #42 of 50
Pensions funded
78%
of obligations · #19 of 50
Debt per resident
$1,820
state debt · #7 of 50

Fiscal health scores 56.2 out of 100, #33 of 50. Pew Fiscal 50, Census state finances and the rating agencies, latest releases.

Editor's note

Arkansas taxes shopping instead of owning. Combined sales tax is 9.46%, #47 of 50; the state no longer taxes groceries, though cities and counties still add theirs. Property tax at 0.59% is among the lightest anywhere, helped by a homestead credit and an assessed-value freeze at sixty-five. Income tax tops out at 3.9%, 1.6 points below the national average. So a fixed-income retiree who owns does very well, a high earner does fine, and a renter who spends the paycheck at the register pays the most.

  • Fiscal health rankings →
  • Best states for retirees →

Is Arkansas safe?

Arkansas reports 532 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 62% above the national average and #48 of 50 (1 = safest). Property crime runs 1,645 per 100,000, 7% above the national average (#35 of 50). The safety score is 48.9 out of 100, #47 of 50; among tracked cities, Bella Vista has the lowest violent crime rate.

Arkansas vs. the United States, per 100,000 residents

Violent crime#48 of 50
AR
532
US
328
Property crime#35 of 50
AR
1,645
US
1,535

FBI state crime estimates, latest release. US is the mean of the 50 states; blue = below it, terracotta = above it. Florida and North Dakota use the FBI's prior-year estimate because their latest year is based on limited data.

Safest tracked cities in Arkansas

CityPopulationViolent / 100KProperty / 100K
Bentonville58,249174735
Rogers72,9812731,096
Fayetteville99,3194461,910
Conway67,6424861,905
Springdale88,1605271,357

Lowest violent crime among the 20 Arkansas cities we track with 50,000 or more residents. City rates come from each city's police agency and are not strictly comparable across agencies.

Editor's note

Violent crime of 532 per hundred thousand, 62% above the national average, has a stark geography. Little Rock, Pine Bluff and West Memphis run several times the state figure; Bella Vista, Bentonville and Rogers in the northwest post some of the lowest tracked rates. The Delta counties and the capital's south and west sides account for most of the statewide number. Benton, Cabot and the northwest are ordinary Southern suburbs on safety.

  • Safety rankings →
  • Best states for families →

What is the job market like in Arkansas?

Arkansas's unemployment rate is 4.1%, 0.1 points above the national average and #29 of 50 (1 = lowest), and the median household earns $62,106, 23% below the national median. Real GDP grew +1.5% in the latest year (#38 of 50) and GDP per capita is $48,298, 25% below the national average. The population is growing 0.6% a year, 0.1 points above the national average. The economy score is 28.7 out of 100, #45 of 50.

Median household income
$62,106
#47 of 50 · US $80,903
Unemployment rate
4.1%
#29 of 50 · US 3.95%
GDP per capita
$48,298
#48 of 50 · US $64,333
Real GDP growth
+1.5%
#38 of 50 · US +1.91%
Population growth
+0.6%
#19 of 50 · US +0.51%

Census Bureau ACS (income), BLS LAUS (unemployment), BEA (GDP), Census population estimates (growth), latest releases.

Highest-paying tracked occupations in Arkansas, adjusted for cost of living

OccupationCost-adjustedMedian wageMetro
Family Medicine Physicians$230,893$200,877Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Lawyers$134,605$117,106Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Software Developers$127,376$110,817Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
General & Operations Managers$100,124$87,108Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
Computer Systems Analysts$92,963$80,878Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, latest release, for the 20 occupations we track. Cost-adjusted wage divides the metro median by its cost of living index.

Editor's note

Walmart in Bentonville, Tyson in Springdale and J.B. Hunt in Lowell built Northwest Arkansas into the state's job engine, with suppliers filling Rogers. Little Rock is the other market: government, banking, and the medical center where family medicine physicians earn $200,877, the best-paid tracked work. Beyond those two, the economy is what grows: rice on the Grand Prairie, poultry in the northwest, cotton and soybeans in the Delta, timber in the south. Median income is $62,106, 23% below the national median, consistent with good jobs sitting in two counties.

  • Economy rankings →
  • Wages by occupation and metro →

How are Arkansas's schools and healthcare?

Arkansas's education score is 49.3 out of 100, #40 of 50. Eighth graders average 266 in NAEP math (#43 of 50) and 255 in reading (#37 of 50), and the high school graduation rate is 88.2%, 2.6 points above the national average (#15 of 50).

Education score
49.3
#40 of 50 · US 57.5
Graduation rate
88.2%
#15 of 50 · US 85.6%
NAEP math, grade 8
266
#43 of 50 · US 273 · grade 4: 230
NAEP reading, grade 8
255
#37 of 50 · US 257 · grade 4: 210

Best public school cities we track, by graduation rate

CityGrad rateStudents / teacherPer pupil
Benton93.4%15$9,411
Bentonville93%15.6$12,146
Cabot93%15.8$10,792

NCES Common Core of Data and School District Finance Survey, latest release. Cities with at least three schools.

Editor's note

Arkansas graduates 88.2% of students, 2.6 points above the national average, but education ranks #40: spending and test results run near the bottom. Benton, Cabot and Bentonville post the highest tracked graduation rates, Pine Bluff and Texarkana the lowest, and Little Rock's district spent years under state control. The state funds education savings accounts for private tuition. For a family, the map is Bentonville, Rogers, Cabot or Benton, then a specific school.

  • Education rankings →

Arkansas is #47 of 50 for health, with a life expectancy of 73.9 years, 3.0 years below the national average. 38.9% of adults have obesity (#47 of 50) and 9.4% of residents have no health insurance (#39 of 50). The health score is 28 out of 100, weighted 12% of the composite.

Health score
28
#47 of 50 · US 54.4
Life expectancy
73.9 years
#43 of 50 · US 76.9 years
Adults with obesity
38.9%
#47 of 50 · US 34%
Uninsured
9.4%
#39 of 50 · US 7.6%

CDC National Center for Health Statistics (state life tables), CDC Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (obesity), and Census Bureau American Community Survey (health insurance), latest releases.

Editor's note

Arkansas ranks #47 for health, with life expectancy of 73.9 years, 3.0 years below the national average. The causes are Southern: smoking, obesity, diabetes, and a Delta where poverty and distance compound. Little Rock has the medical school and referral hospitals, Northwest Arkansas has grown its own systems, and rural counties have lost hospitals and birth units. Hot Springs and the lake towns are a long ambulance ride from a cardiac unit.

  • Health rankings →

Who is moving to Arkansas, and who is leaving?

Arkansas gained a net 5,269 households from other states in the latest IRS release: 36,997 moved in and 31,728 moved out, +1.7 per 1,000 residents (#13 of 50). Arriving households report an average income of $62,982 against $59,337 for those leaving. The Census Bureau's American Community Survey, which counts people rather than households, shows a net +6.4K people (62.8K in, 56.4K out, ±9.3K), consistent with the IRS direction.

Households moving in
36,997
top origin Texas
Households moving out
31,728
top destination Texas
Net per 1,000 residents
+1.7
#13 of 50 · +5,269 households
Avg income, arrivals
$62,982
leavers $59,337 · arrivals earn more

Where they come from

  1. 1Texas7,451 · $66,957
  2. 2Missouri3,265 · $53,689
  3. 3Oklahoma2,953 · $45,279
  4. 4California2,736 · $68,900
  5. 5Tennessee1,960 · $60,027

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households arrived from these states in the latest IRS release.

Where they go

  1. 1Texas6,498 · $62,590
  2. 2Missouri3,143 · $48,726
  3. 3Oklahoma2,929 · $47,085
  4. 4Tennessee1,839 · $54,238
  5. 5Florida1,743 · $96,607

Households and their average income. Click a state to compare it head to head; households left for these states in the latest IRS release.

Editor's note

Arkansas gains households, +5,269 on net, +1.7 per thousand residents. Texas is the top source and destination, the Texarkana-Dallas corridor working both ways; Missouri and Oklahoma trade at smaller scale. Arrivals report $62,982 and leavers $59,337, consistent with retirees and Walmart-supplier transfers arriving in the northwest while young households leave the Delta for Dallas or Memphis. Almost all the growth lands in Benton and Washington counties.

  • All Arkansas migration flows →
  • State-by-state migration →

Where should you live in Arkansas?

By composite score, the best of the 20 Arkansas cities we track are Bentonville (68.2), Bella Vista (66), and Rogers (61.5). Pine Bluff is the cheapest (cost index 83), Bentonville the richest ($112,792), and Bella Vista the fastest growing (+3.7% a year). City ranks are among the 20 Arkansas cities we cover, not every city in the state.

Standout cities in Arkansas

Best forCityMeasure
SafestBella Vista167 violent crimes per 100K
CheapestPine Bluffcost of living index 83
Most walkableWest Memphiswalkability 12.3 of 20
Cleanest airWest Memphismedian AQI 39 (county)
Best schoolsBenton93.4% graduation rate
RichestBentonville$112,792

Among the 20 Arkansas cities we track. Safest uses a full year of FBI reports from the city's own police agency; air quality is measured by county, so cities in the same county share a reading.

Editor's note

Regions of Arkansas

Northwest Arkansas

Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, Fayetteville, Bella Vista: Walmart, Tyson and the university; the highest incomes, fastest growth, best schools and priciest homes in the state, with Ozark hills for the weekend.

BentonvilleRogersSpringdaleFayettevilleBella Vista
Little Rock and central Arkansas

The capital, the medical center and the state payroll; a city with high crime in its core, ringed by Benton, Cabot, Sherwood and Conway, where most metro families actually live.

Little RockNorth Little RockBentonCabotSherwoodJacksonvilleConway
The Arkansas River Valley and Fort Smith

Fort Smith's factories, Russellville's nuclear plant and college; low costs, modest wages, and an Oklahoma border that many residents cross for work or shopping.

Fort SmithRussellville
The Delta and the east

Jonesboro, Paragould, West Memphis, Pine Bluff: rice, cotton and soybeans on flat river land; the state's cheapest housing, weakest hospitals and highest crime, with Jonesboro the growing exception.

JonesboroParagouldWest MemphisPine Bluff
Hot Springs, Texarkana and the south

Spa town and lake retirement country, then pine timber and paper mills toward Louisiana; cheap, slow, and a long way from a specialist.

Hot SpringsTexarkana

All 20 tracked cities, best to worst

#CityGradeScorePopulationIncomeViolent / 100KCost index
1Bentonville
A+
68.258,249$112,79217491.4
2Bella Vista
A
66.031,697$88,05516791.4
3Rogers
B+
61.572,981$86,72827391.4
4Fayetteville
B
57.499,319$62,69544691.4
5Benton
B
56.836,595$72,87644589.4
6Cabot
C+
54.826,960$75,00035989.4
7Sherwood
C+
54.333,070$81,32861189.4
8Springdale
C+
54.288,160$69,78752791.4
9Conway
C
51.767,642$63,00448689.4
10Paragould
C
49.930,215$56,98026883
11Russellville
C
49.729,162$50,87746083
12Jonesboro
D
47.980,137$55,42457585.9
13Fort Smith
D
47.789,805$54,81679385.9
14Hot Springs
D
46.537,920$47,76050085.7
15Little Rock
D
45.3203,436$63,0031,48589.4
16North Little Rock
F
42.464,538$52,70796089.4
17Jacksonville
F
41.929,221$49,66697189.4
18Texarkana
F
39.729,177$45,8351,23084
19West Memphis
F
35.323,929$42,6741,78592.2
20Pine Bluff
F
34.739,743$42,7181,39383

Swipe the table sideways for more columns. Rank is among the 20 Arkansas cities we track: every city of 50,000 or more, plus the state's other largest places. City scores use city-level Census, FBI, BLS, CDC, EPA and NCES data, and a category with no city data is left out of the score rather than filled with the state's figure.

Best cities in Arkansas for…

#CityScoreEducationSafetyAffordability
1Bentonville68.960.090.468.3
2Bella Vista65.7—92.673.4
3Rogers63.059.481.674.4
4Fayetteville60.059.464.775.1
5Benton59.156.765.182.0
All Arkansas cities for families →Best states for families →
  • All 1,312 cities →

Who is Arkansas best for?

The same 11 category scores, re-weighted for six kinds of household. Rank is among the 50 states; click through for the best Arkansas cities for each.

Families
#44of 50
Best Arkansas cities →
Retirees
#45of 50
Best Arkansas cities →
Remote Workers
#39of 50
Best Arkansas cities →
Young Professionals
#38of 50
Best Arkansas cities →
Small Business
#35of 50
Best Arkansas cities →
Outdoor Enthusiasts
#49of 50
Best Arkansas cities →
Arkansas fits
  • Retirees on a fixed income who own their home: a retiree couple at $75,000 ends the year at a $43,012 surplus, #4 in the country, and the assessed value freezes at sixty-five.
  • Two-earner families with young children: infant childcare runs $9,727, 38% below the national average, and a family of four comes out at a $8,363 surplus.
  • Anyone with a job in Walmart's orbit: Bentonville is the richest tracked city, and its median household earns nearly double the state figure of $62,106.
Arkansas does not fit
  • People without a car: 0.3% of commuters use transit, last of 50, and 8.6% work from home, near last.
  • Movers who weight health and safety heavily: the state ranks #47 on health and #47 on safety.
  • Remote workers who need a strong connection outside the northwest: 90.8% of households have broadband, #43 nationally.

Weights differ by household: families lean on education, safety and housing; retirees on fiscal health, healthcare and cost. See the weights →

How does Arkansas compare with its neighbors?

Arkansas ranks #48. Among its bordering states, Tennessee ranks highest (#24) and Louisiana lowest (#50). Mississippi is the most similar on the composite score and Tennessee the most different. Bordering states are listed best to worst; the national line is the mean of the 50 states.

StateOverallScoreMedian incomeTypical homeCost indexViolent crimeTax burdenCompare
Arkansas#4840.1$62,106$227,26486.95328.61%
Tennessee#2457.1$71,997$334,10891.94926.38%Compare →
Texas#3252.2$79,721$299,36797.13457.77%Compare →
Missouri#3451.0$71,589$267,87990.84187.83%Compare →
Oklahoma#4343.0$66,148$223,26187.84087.01%Compare →
Mississippi#4641.9$59,127$197,606872279.06%Compare →
Louisiana#5030.0$60,986$217,03988.25158.94%Compare →
United States—57.9$80,903$368,6971003288.74%

Overall rank, median income, cost index and tax burden columns are shown on wider screens.

People also compare
Arkansas vs. California →
Other South states
  • Virginia#15
  • Florida#21
  • North Carolina#23
  • Georgia#26
  • South Carolina#36
  • Alabama#37
  • Kentucky#41
  • West Virginia#44
Editor's note

Texas is the comparison people run: Arkansas has the cheaper house, lower property tax and an income tax Texas lacks, a wash for a working household, a win for a retiree. Missouri is the closest thing to an upgrade on health and schools. Memphis is the Delta's big city, West Memphis its cheapest suburb.

  • Compare Arkansas with any state →

How the score works

Eleven categories, each scored 0–100 and weighted into one composite. Grades follow rank.

The weights

Economy 15% · Safety 12% · Health 12% · Education 12% · Affordability 10% · Fiscal Health 8% · Growth 7% · Transportation 7% · Livability 7% · Outdoor Access 6% · Environment 4%. The composite is the weighted sum, stretched linearly so states spread across most of the 0–100 range.

From raw numbers to scores

Every raw measure is placed on a 0–100 scale between a fixed floor and ceiling, inverted where lower is better (crime, cost, taxes), then combined within its category. The same scale applies to every state.

Letter grades

Grades follow rank, not score: A+ for ranks 1–5, A for 6–10, B+ for 11–18, B for 19–26, C+ for 27–34, C for 35–42, D for 43–48, F for 49–50. A C+ state is not failing; it is in the middle third.

Cities, budgets and neighbors

The 20 Arkansas city scores, the household budgets and the neighbor table on this page are computed from the same sources as the state score. City ranks are among the cities we track, not all cities in the state.

Editor's notes

Passages marked as editor's notes are written for this state and add context the numbers cannot: regions, tradeoffs, who the state fits. Every figure inside them is pulled from the data at build time, so the words cannot drift from the numbers.

Always the latest release

Each source is the most recent release its agency has published. The page is rebuilt when a source updates, so the score can move without any change in the state itself.

What the score cannot tell you

Weather and climate, culture and pace, politics beyond the Cook index shown for context, the quality of a specific school, hospital or neighborhood, job prospects in your field, and anything without a public, comparable, 50-state source. Statewide averages also hide the metro-versus-rural split, which is why the editor's notes name places.

Category briefs

Economy: Unemployment rate and median household income. Safety: Violent and property crime rates per 100,000 residents. Health: Health outcomes, behaviors, and access to care. Education: K-12 school quality, test scores, and graduation rates. Full methodology →

Key takeaways

What the Arkansas numbers say when read together.

  1. 01

    Affordability is Arkansas's strongest suit

    Arkansas is a #48 state overall but #2 of 50 for affordability, 46 places better than its composite rank, with a score of 89.7 against a national average of 65.2. Growth (#17) is next. Affordability carries 10% of the composite.

  2. 02

    Arkansas has no weak category relative to its rank

    Every one of the 11 categories ranks at or above the state's overall #48, so the composite is not being dragged down by any single weakness.

  3. 03

    Typical home value is 38% below the national average

    Arkansas's typical home value is $227,264, 38% below the national average of $368,697, #5 of 50 (1 = cheapest). The largest gap in the other direction is violent crime rate: 532, 62% above the national average. Source: Zillow Research ZHVI, latest release.

  4. 04

    More households arrive than leave

    Arkansas ranks #13 of 50 on net household flow per 1,000 residents (+1.7). The households arriving report $3,645 more in average income than those leaving ($62,982 against $59,337), so the state is trading up on income even as the headcount grows. Texas is both the largest source and the largest destination.

  5. 05

    A middle income stretches further here than in most states

    A family of four earning $75,000 ends the year at a $8,363 surplus after housing, childcare, utilities, groceries, transport and taxes, against a $11,758 shortfall in the median state (#4 of 50). A single adult on the same income comes out at a $37,972 surplus; a retiree couple at a $43,012 surplus. Infant childcare runs $9,727 a year, 38% below the national average.

  6. 06

    Arkansas sits 6th among its 7-state neighborhood

    5 of Arkansas's 6 bordering states rank above its #48; the closest match on the composite is Mississippi. Median income among them runs from $59,127 in Mississippi to $79,721 in Texas; Arkansas is at $62,106.

Editor's note

The tradeoff

+Property tax of 0.59% and a senior assessment freeze make a paid-off house nearly free to hold.

−Sales tax of 9.46% hits every purchase that house needs, from furniture to the local grocery levy.

+A family of four at $75,000 comes out at a $8,363 surplus, #4 of 50 at that tier.

−Median income of $62,106 means the local job pays about a quarter less than the national one.

+Bentonville and Rogers grow faster than almost any tracked city and pay the state's best wages.

−Life expectancy of 73.9 years is #43 of 50, and the Delta pulls it lower still.

Frequently asked questions about living in Arkansas

Is Arkansas a good place to live?

Arkansas ranks #48 of 50 with a D grade, #13 of 14 in the South. It is top 10 in affordability and bottom 10 in transportation, economy, environment, safety, and health. On the six headline measures it beats the national figure on 3 of 6 (home prices, cost of living, and tax burden) and trails on income, violent crime, and unemployment. Whether that adds up to a good place to live depends on what you weigh; the household rankings below re-weight the same numbers for families, retirees and remote workers.

Where does Arkansas rank among US states?

Arkansas ranks #48 of 50 overall with a composite score of 40.1 (grade D), and #13 of 14 states in the South. Its best category rank is #2 (affordability) and its worst #47 (safety). The composite weights eleven categories, with economy, safety, health and education counting most; grades follow rank, so D means rank 43–48.

Is it expensive to live in Arkansas?

At #1 of 50 for cost of living (1 = cheapest), Arkansas is 13% below the national average: its index is 86.9 against a national baseline of 100. The typical home value is $227,264 (38% below the national average), and buying it takes an income of about $61,092 against a median household income of $62,106. At $75,000, a family of four comes out at a $8,363 surplus after all costs, #4 of 50 (1 = most left over).

Does Arkansas have a state income tax?

Yes. Arkansas's top state income tax rate is 3.9% (#14 of 50, 1 = lowest), and the total state and local tax burden is 8.61% of income, 0.1 points below the national average. Property tax is 0.59% of home value and combined sales tax 9.46%.

What is the crime rate in Arkansas?

Arkansas reports 532 violent crimes per 100,000 residents, 62% above the national average and #48 of 50 (1 = safest), and 1,645 property crimes per 100,000, 7% above the national average (#35). Its safety score is 48.9 out of 100, #47 of 50. Figures are FBI estimates from the latest release.

Does Arkansas have good schools?

Arkansas is #40 of 50 for education (score 49.3 out of 100). Its public school students average 266 in eighth-grade math on NAEP (#43) and 255 in eighth-grade reading (#37), and the high school graduation rate is 88.2%, 2.6 points above the national average (#15). Among tracked cities with at least three schools, Benton has the highest graduation rate at 93.4%.

Why are people moving to Arkansas?

Arkansas gained a net 5,269 households in the latest IRS release: 36,997 moved in and 31,728 moved out, +1.7 per 1,000 residents (#13 of 50). The largest source of arrivals is Texas (7,451 households) and the most common destination is Texas (6,498). Arriving households report an average income of $62,982 against $59,337 for those leaving, so movers in earn more than movers out. The IRS files count tax returns and say nothing about motives.

Is Arkansas a red or blue state?

Arkansas is a solidly red state: its Cook Partisan Voting Index is R+15, meaning it votes about 15 points more Republican than the country as a whole. The political lean is shown for context and is not part of the composite score.

What are the downsides of living in Arkansas?

Health, safety and the sales tax, in that order. The state ranks #47 on health with life expectancy of 73.9 years, #47 on safety, concentrated in Little Rock and the Delta, and charges 9.46% at the register. Wages are low: $62,106 median household income. Summers are long and humid, and outside the northwest and Little Rock the nearest specialist may be two hours away.

Is Arkansas a good place to retire?

Financially one of the best; medically one of the riskier. A retiree couple at $75,000 ends the year at a $43,012 surplus, #4, property tax is 0.59%, and the assessed value freezes at sixty-five. Still, the state ranks #45 for retirees because health access and safety drag it down. Hot Springs Village and Bella Vista are the retirement towns; Bella Vista sits near Northwest Arkansas's hospitals.

Where in Arkansas should I live?

Depends on the job. If it is with Walmart or a supplier, Bentonville, Rogers or Bella Vista, at Northwest Arkansas prices. If it is state government or medicine, Little Rock's suburbs: Benton for schools, Cabot for value, Conway for the college-town feel. Fort Smith and Jonesboro are cheap regional cities with real hospitals. The Delta towns have the cheapest housing and lose people.

Does Arkansas get tornadoes?

Yes, and the season runs long. Disaster risk scores 39.6, 34% above the national average, from spring tornadoes across the center of the state, flooding on the Arkansas and the White, ice storms in the north, and the New Madrid fault under the northeast corner. Little Rock and its suburbs have taken direct hits. A safe room, a weather radio and a generator are ordinary purchases here.

Is Arkansas cheaper than Texas?

Yes on almost every line. Arkansas's cost index is 86.9 against a higher Texas figure, and property tax at 0.59% is a third of the Texas rate. Texas answers with no income tax and much higher wages, so a working household in Dallas keeps more. A retiree or remote worker on national pay keeps more in Arkansas. Texarkana lets people split the difference.

All the numbers

Every metric behind Arkansas's 11 category scores, with the national figure beside each. Pick a category.

Median Household Income
$62,106
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: $80,903
Unemployment Rate
4.1%
BLS LAUS · Nat'l avg: 3.9%
Population Growth
+0.6%
Census, year over year · Nat'l avg: +0.5%
28.7Economy Score · National avg: 47.1
Violent Crime Rate
531.8
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 313
Property Crime Rate
1,644.9
per 100K · FBI estimate · Nat'l avg: 1,475
48.9Safety Score · National avg: 68.9
Life Expectancy
73.9 yr
CDC NCHS · Nat'l avg: 76.9 yr
Adults With Obesity
38.9%
CDC BRFSS · Nat'l avg: 34%
Uninsured
9.4%
Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 7.6%
28.0Health Score · National avg: 54.4
HS Graduation Rate
88.2%
EDFacts · Nat'l avg: 85.6%
NAEP Math, 8th Grade
266
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 273
NAEP Reading, 8th Grade
255
Nation's Report Card · Nat'l avg: 257
49.3Education Score · National avg: 57.5
GDP Per Capita
$48,298
BEA · Nat'l avg: $64,333
GDP Growth Rate
+1.5%
Real, year over year · Nat'l avg: +1.9%
Credit Rating
AA
S&P / Moody's, latest
Fiscal Score
56.2
of 100 · Nat'l avg: 58.1
Budget Balance
+6.3%
Surplus · % of revenue · NASBO
State Debt Per Capita
$1,820
Census state finances · Nat'l avg: $3,506
Rainy Day Fund
6.7%
of expenditures · Pew Fiscal 50
Pension Funded Ratio
78%
Pew · Nat'l avg: 74.3%
Tax Burden
8.61%
of income · Nat'l avg: 8.74%
Income Tax Rate
3.9%
Top rate, state + local
Property Tax Rate
0.59%
Effective rate · Nat'l avg: 1.02%
Sales Tax Rate
9.46%
State + local avg · Nat'l avg: 6.66%
56.2Fiscal Health Score · National avg: 58.1
Typical Home Value
$227,264
Latest month · Nat'l avg: $383,360
Cost of Living Index
86.9
BEA Regional Price Parity · National = 100
Price-to-Income Ratio
3.7x
Home value ÷ median income · Nat'l avg: 4.6x
Electricity
12.84¢/kWh
EIA
Natural Gas
$19.25/Mcf
EIA
Gasoline
$2.92/gal
EIA
Infant Care (Center)
$9,727/yr
Child Care Aware of America
Goods Prices
93.6
BEA price level for goods · US = 100
89.7Affordability Score · National avg: 65.2
Air Quality Index
42
EPA annual median · Nat'l avg: 38.8
Renewable Energy
12%
EIA, % of electricity · Nat'l avg: 29%
Natural Disaster Risk
39.6
FEMA NRI per capita · Nat'l avg: 30
25.8Environment Score · National avg: 42.5
Public Land
10.5%
of state area · USGS PAD-US
Recreation Facilities
1.96
per 10K residents · Census CBP
Park Acreage per Capita
0.04
NPS acres per resident
14.7Outdoor Access Score · National avg: 29.4
Mean Commute Time
22.7 min
Mean travel time to work · Census ACS
60+ Min Commute
5.6%
of workers · Census ACS
Drive Alone
78.4%
of commuters · Census ACS
Public Transit Use
0.3%
of commuters · Census ACS
Walk / Bicycle
1.3%
active commuters · Census ACS
Work From Home
8.6%
of workers · Census ACS
Vehicle Miles Traveled
12,717
per capita · FHWA
Carpool Rate
10%
of commuters · Census ACS
42.9Transportation Score · National avg: 49.8
Restaurants per 1K
1.629
Census County Business Patterns
Arts & Entertainment
0.011
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Social Associations
0.057
per 1K residents · Census CBP
Bars & Breweries
0.044
per 1K residents · Census CBP
24.8Livability Score · National avg: 34.3
Net Domestic Migration
+4.7
per 1,000 residents · Nat'l avg: +1.1
Migration Trend
Gaining
More people moving in than out
Broadband Subscription
90.8%
Households, any type · Census ACS · Nat'l avg: 92.7%
Households Moving In
37.0K
Top origin: Texas
Households Moving Out
31.7K
Top destination: Texas
45.8Growth Score · National avg: 38.8

Also consulted for the Arkansas editor's notes

  • Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration, Property Tax Relief (homestead credit and Amendment 79 freeze) ↗
  • Arkansas House of Representatives, Laws Taking Effect January 1st (Grocery Tax Relief Act) ↗