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Arkansas

R+28  ·  Moderate tax burden  ·  COL index 85

B+

3.9%

Income Tax

619

Violent Crime / 100K

73.8

Life Expectancy

$195K

Median Home

$820

Childcare / Mo

State Profile

40/100
255075100TAXES67SAFETY26HEALTH12SCHOOLS16AFFORDABLE88LONGEVITY32

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Taxes

Income Tax

Top rate reduced to 3.9% in 2024

3.9% top

Property Tax

~$1,170/yr on median home

0.6% / yr

Sales Tax

9.46% avg

Social Security

Exempt

Pension / IRA

Partial

Estate Tax

None

Inheritance Tax

None

Capital Gains

50% exemption on gains from AR assets

Taxed as income

Housing & Cost of Living

Cost of Living Index

National avg = 100

85

Median Home Price

$195,000

Median Rent (2BR)

$970/mo

Home Insurance

Near national avg (~$1,900/yr)

$2,600/yr

Flood Insurance

$750/yr

Homestead Exemption

Home equity protected from creditors

$800

Asset Protection

Weak

Crime & Safety

Violent Crime Rate

Well above national avg

619 / 100K

Property Crime Rate

Near national avg

2,469 / 100K

Traffic Fatality Rate

Among the most dangerous

18.3 / 100K

Healthcare

State Healthcare Rank

Bottom tier

#44 of 50

Life Expectancy

73.8 yrs

Medicaid Expansion

Expanded

Uninsured Rate

9.4%

Education

K-12 Quality Rank

Bottom 10 nationally

#42 of 50

School Choice / Vouchers

Available

Childcare

Avg Infant Care (Full-Time)

Below national avg

$820/mo

Utilities & Daily Costs

Avg Monthly Energy Bill

$130/mo

Avg Monthly Groceries

2-person household, moderate spending

$390/mo

Road Quality Rank

#22 of 50

Airports & Travel

Nonstop Destinations

From state's primary airport

35+ routes

Major Hub Airport

Regional airport — connections via hub

No

Culture & Lifestyle

Urban Population

Mix of urban and rural

57% urban

Restaurant Density

Limited dining options

360/100K

Religious Congregations

Strong religious community

280/100K

Pro Sports Teams

NFL + NBA + MLB + NHL + MLS

None

Major Venues

Stadiums, arenas, amphitheaters (10K+ capacity)

2 venues

Craft Breweries

1.3/100K residents — Limited

40 breweries

Craft Distilleries

20 distilleries

Live Music

Ozark folk and Americana; Bikes Blues & BBQ in Fayetteville

Decent

Transportation

Car Insurance (Avg Annual)

$1,740

Traffic Fatality Rate

18.3 / 100K

Broadband Access

Below national avg

74% of households

Social & Legal

Abortion Access

Near-total ban with narrow medical exceptions

Banned

LGBTQ+ Protections

Hostile

Marijuana

Medical Only

Minimum Wage

$11/hr

Right to Work

Yes

Sports Betting

Legal

Casino Gambling

Commercial casinos

Online Gambling

Illegal

State Lottery

Casinos at racetracks. Sports betting launched 2022.

Yes

Age of Consent

16

Sex Education

Sex ed required by state

Abstinence-only

Nude Beaches & Naturist Clubs

Oaklake Trails (naturist campground)

One club

Environment & Climate

Air Quality (Annual AQI)

Near national avg

35

Natural Disaster Risk

High

Primary Hazards

tornadoflood

Politics & Gun Laws

2024 Presidential Vote

R+28

Gun Laws

Gun ControlF
2A LibertyA+

Carry Permit

No permit required

Purchase Permit Required

No

Gambling

Legal

Hunting & Outdoors

Public Land12% of state
Resident Deer License$35
Deer Archery SeasonOct 1 – Nov 14
CrossbowFull season

1.5 million acres of national forest open to hunting. Timber company land adds more acres. Strong deer and turkey hunting.

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission — Official Season Dates ↗

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Jobs & Economy

Job Market

+1% job growth · 3.2% unemployment

Moderate

Top Industries

ManufacturingRetailHealthcare

Tech Jobs

#46 of 50

Healthcare Jobs

#35 of 50

Remote Work

10% of workers

Median Household Income

$56,335

Business Climate

Corporate Income Tax

4.8%

LLC Formation Fee

$45 one-time

LLC Annual Fee

$150/yr

Business Climate Rank

#39 of 50

Daily Life

Gas Price (Regular)

Well below avg (-0.37 vs national avg)

$2.93/gal

Consumer Fireworks

Consumer fireworks broadly legal

Legal

Weather & Natural Risks

Winter Severity

Avg January high: 49°F

Mild

Summer Heat

Hot summers

92°F avg July

Annual Rainfall

50" / yr

Tornado Risk

High

Hurricane Risk

Low

Wildfire Risk

Low

Flood Risk

Moderate

Natural Hazards

58HIGH danger
Brown recluse zoneArmadillo leprosy vectorTornado alleyCottonmouth rivers

Venomous Snakes

High

Spider Hazard

Brown Recluse Zone

Scorpions

Low

Hurricane Risk

Moderate

Tornado Risk

High

Wildfire Risk

Low

Earthquake Risk

Moderate

Armadillo Leprosy Risk

High

Danger score is a composite index. Methodology ↗

Veteran Benefits

Veteran-Friendly Score

8.1% of state population are veterans

92/100

Property Tax Exemption

100% disabled: full exemption

Full (disabled)

Military Retirement Pay

Tax Exempt

Active Duty Pay

Tax Exempt

VA Facilities Access

Adequate

Notable Benefits

Military retirement fully exempt

Explore Arkansas counties

Income, housing, poverty, healthcare — ranked by county

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See your full cost of living in Arkansas

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Compare Similar States

AR vs KY

Arkansas vs Kentucky

COL 85 vs 85 · 3.9% vs 4% income tax

Full comparison →

AR vs KS

Arkansas vs Kansas

COL 85 vs 86 · 3.9% vs 5.7% income tax

Full comparison →

AR vs MO

Arkansas vs Missouri

COL 85 vs 86 · 3.9% vs 4.7% income tax

Full comparison →

AR vs AL

Arkansas vs Alabama

COL 85 vs 87 · 3.9% vs 5% income tax

Full comparison →

Trending in Arkansas

OPINION | REX NELSON: July 15, 1996, came to climactic end at Arkansas Capitol - The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette

The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette · Jul 25

Arkansas anticipates budget-SNAPping $73 million food aid bill - Arkansas Times

Arkansas Times · Jul 20

Arkansas governor announces trade mission to Belgium, Ireland, UK - Arkansas Advocate

Arkansas Advocate · Jul 13

Protest at HUD Little Rock seeks answers as former People Trust renters face eviction - KATV

KATV · Jul 22

The Agenda: NDAs, trees and housing - Axios

Axios · Jul 21

What Residents Say

Cost of living change : r/northwestarkansas

We moved from Austin and daycare is much cheaper. Housing also much cheaper. Prop taxes are low, rentals seem to be limited at lower price ......

reddit.com ↗

Living costs in Arkansas moving from NY help

Housing/renting is 254% cheaper. cost of living here is lower by more than the income taxes will cost me....

reddit.com ↗

Thinking of Move to AR from MO : r/Arkansas

MO gives no tax breaks; AR does. Living costs in Arkansas moving from NY help. Just moved to Arkansas, the taxes are insane!...

reddit.com ↗

Just moved to Arkansas, the taxes are insane!

No income tax is great and all, but utilities are higher, sales tax the same, vehicle costs are much higher. Registration is more than double, ......

reddit.com ↗

State income tax : r/Arkansas

Real estate tax in both states is usually higher than rent in Arkansas and Oklahoma. At least an income tax goes up and down with your income, ......

reddit.com ↗

Cost of living : r/LittleRock

property tax is so low … when you move out of state, you'll still owe money. $50,000 is pretty good for Arkansas. Arkansas state income tax. My ......

reddit.com ↗

What's the Quality of life Like in Arkansas?

Currently I live in Florida and considering moving due to the rising costs of living here. I currently work as an office manager, I have an AA degree ......

reddit.com ↗

r/FluentInFinance - Guess I'm moving to Arkansas

"In this case, “comfortable” was defined as the annual income required to cover a 50/30/20 budget, allocating 50% of earnings to necessities ......

reddit.com ↗

Talk to me about living in Arkansas?

I am in the market to move somewhere secluded and spend my retirement days. A tiny cabin with some land. Arkansas offers property tax exemptions for ......

reddit.com ↗

Cost of Living & Prices in Arkansas: 23 cities compared

The average salary after taxes in Arkansas is $3875, which is enough to cover living expenses for 2.1 months. Cost of Living & Prices in ......

reddit.com ↗

Stay Current

Get notified when Arkansas tax laws, gun laws, or social policy changes.

Data is informational only. Verify with a tax professional, real estate agent, and local sources before making relocation decisions. Crime data: FBI UCR ~2022. Healthcare: Commonwealth Fund / US News ~2023. Education: Education Week ~2023. Housing: Zillow / Census ACS ~2024. Insurance: rate surveys ~2024. Sponsored links marked “Sponsored” may earn a commission. This does not affect our data or rankings.

Your Priorities

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Quick Profiles

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Annual Income

$150K

Affects effective income tax rate

$0$500K$5M+

Retirement Savings

$0

Affects pension and SS tax burden

None$500K$10M+

Social Security

None

Annual Social Security benefit

None$150K/yr

My Property Is Worth

$400K

Affects property tax burden

Tax burden ↓$1M$50M+

Home Buying Budget

$400K

Compared to state median home price

Hard to find$250K$5M+

Monthly Rent Budget

Don't care

Compared to state median 2BR rent

Don't care$10K/mo

Job Market

Don't care

State unemployment and job growth

Don't careHot market

Airport Access

Don't care

Direct flight destinations from state hubs

Don't careMust have hub

City vs Country

Mid-size city

% urban population

Deep countryBig city

Sunshine

Don't care

Annual sunny days per state

Don't careMax sunshine

Food Scene

Don't care

Restaurants per 100K residents

Don't careWorld-class

Political Preference

Neutral

State's political lean

LiberalConservative

Gun Laws

Neutral

State gun law grade (Giffords)

Gun Control2A Freedom

Abortion Access

Neutral

State abortion access policy

Pro-ChoiceNeutralPro-Life

Community

None

Congregations per 100K residents

AvoidDon't careSeek

Sports & Entertainment

Don't care

Pro sports teams and major venues

Don't careMust have pro teams

Cannabis Laws

Neutral

State cannabis legality

Prefer LegalNeutralPrefer Prohibition

Retiree Community

Neutral

% population 65+ (Census)

Young areaRetirement-heavy

Dating Market

Neutral

% adults never-married (Census)

Singles sceneFamily community

Safety / Low Crime

Don't care

Violent crime rate per 100K (FBI)

Don't careVery safe

School Quality

Don't care

K-12 rank (Education Week)

Don't careTop-ranked

Healthcare Access

Don't care

Healthcare system rank (Commonwealth Fund)

Don't careTop-ranked

Childcare Affordability

Don't care

Cost of living proxy for childcare affordability

Don't careMust be affordable