State comparison
Arkansas vs Massachusetts: which state is better to live in?
Arkansas costs a median household about $4,500 a year less in state and local taxes than Massachusetts, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $1,170 a year against $6,032 in Massachusetts.
Arkansas
Moderate tax burden · COL index 85
Wins 8 categories
Massachusetts
High tax burden · COL index 148
Wins 8 categories
Taxes: Arkansas vs Massachusetts
Arkansas has a graduated income tax topping out at 3.9%, which works out to 4.5% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,360 a year. Massachusetts has a graduated income tax topping out at 9%, which works out to 5.0% on a median income of $74,580, or $3,729 a year. Arkansas wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.60% of home value a year in Arkansas and 1.04% in Massachusetts (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $1,170 against $6,032, so Arkansas has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 9.46% in Arkansas and 6.25% in Massachusetts; Massachusetts is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $6,646 a year in Arkansas, $11,159 in Massachusetts. Arkansas is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Arkansas's cost of living index is 85 and Massachusetts's is 148, where 100 is the national average; Arkansas is about 74% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $195K in Arkansas and $580K in Massachusetts (Zillow, 2024), a $385K gap in Arkansas's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $970 a month in Arkansas and $2,400 in Massachusetts.
Home insurance averages $2,600 a year in Arkansas and $1,500 in Massachusetts, so Massachusetts is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 619 incidents per 100,000 residents in Arkansas and 338 in Massachusetts (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Massachusetts is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 83% lower. Property crime is 2,469 per 100,000 in Arkansas against 1,283 in Massachusetts, again favoring Massachusetts.
Health
Life expectancy is 73.8 years in Arkansas and 80 in Massachusetts (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 6.2-year edge for Massachusetts. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Arkansas's health system 44th of 50 and Massachusetts's 1st, so Massachusetts scores better on care.
9.4% of Arkansas residents have no health insurance against 3.1% in Massachusetts, which favors Massachusetts. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Arkansas's K-12 schools 42nd in the country and Massachusetts's 1st, 41 places apart in Massachusetts's favor. Arkansas runs a school-choice voucher program; Massachusetts does not.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Arkansas went to Trump by 28 points and Massachusetts went to Harris by 28 points.
Arkansas has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; Massachusetts has may-issue carry permits and a grade of A, so Massachusetts regulates guns more tightly and Arkansas is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions in Arkansas and protected by state law in Massachusetts, and marijuana is medical only in Arkansas and legal for adults in Massachusetts as of 2026. The minimum wage is $11.00 an hour in Arkansas and $15.00 in Massachusetts.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is high in Arkansas (tornado, flood) and moderate in Massachusetts (hurricane, blizzard, nor-easter), so Massachusetts is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 35 in Arkansas and 30 in Massachusetts (under 50 is good), favoring Massachusetts.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at rates in force as of 2026-09-04. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
8
Arkansas
8
Massachusetts
Run the full slider tool to score these states against your specific income, home value, retirement, and lifestyle priorities.
Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Arkansas or Massachusetts better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Arkansas on taxes ($6,646 a year for a median household against $11,159); Arkansas on everyday costs (index 85 against 148); Massachusetts on safety (338 violent crimes per 100,000 against 619); Massachusetts on schools (ranked 1st against 42nd).
Which is cheaper, Arkansas or Massachusetts?
Arkansas is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 85 against 148. The median home is $195K in Arkansas and $580K in Massachusetts (2024). On state and local taxes Arkansas saves a median household about $4,500 a year.
Does Arkansas or Massachusetts have lower taxes?
Arkansas. A household earning $74,580 pays about $6,646 a year in Arkansas ($3,360 income tax, $1,170 property tax on the median home and $2,117 in sales tax) and $11,159 in Massachusetts ($3,729 income tax, $6,032 property tax on the median home and $1,398 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Arkansas or Massachusetts?
Massachusetts, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 619 per 100,000 residents in Arkansas and 338 in Massachusetts; property crime is 2,469 against 1,283.
Which has better schools, Arkansas or Massachusetts?
Massachusetts. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Arkansas 42nd of 50 for K-12 and Massachusetts 1st. Arkansas also offers school-choice vouchers.
Is Arkansas or Massachusetts better for retirees?
Arkansas is friendlier to retirees on paper. Arkansas does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Massachusetts does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has an estate tax. Property tax on a median home is $1,170 a year in Arkansas and $6,032 in Massachusetts.