State comparison
Arkansas vs Virginia: which state is better to live in?
Arkansas costs a median household about $2,200 a year less in state and local taxes than Virginia, mostly because property tax on a median home runs $1,170 a year against $2,886 in Virginia.
Arkansas
Moderate tax burden · COL index 85
Wins 7 categories
Virginia
Moderate tax burden · COL index 102
Wins 7 categories
Taxes: Arkansas vs Virginia
Arkansas has a graduated income tax topping out at 3.9%, which works out to 3.6% on a median income of $74,580, or $2,680 a year. Virginia has a graduated income tax topping out at 5.75%, which works out to 5.4% on a median income of $74,580, or $4,031 a year. Arkansas wins on income tax at 2026 rates.
Property tax is 0.60% of home value a year in Arkansas and 0.74% in Virginia (Tax Foundation, 2023); on each state's median home that is $1,170 against $2,886, so Arkansas has the lower rate.
Combined state and local sales tax averages 9.46% in Arkansas and 5.73% in Virginia; Virginia is lower.
Add it up for a household earning $74,580 (the 2022 national median) and owning the median home: $5,966 a year in Arkansas, $8,199 in Virginia. Arkansas is cheaper on total state and local tax.
Housing and cost of living
Arkansas's cost of living index is 85 and Virginia's is 102, where 100 is the national average; Arkansas is about 20% cheaper day to day.
The median home costs $195K in Arkansas and $390K in Virginia (Zillow, 2024), a $195K gap in Arkansas's favor. A two-bedroom rents for about $970 a month in Arkansas and $1,700 in Virginia.
Home insurance averages $2,600 a year in Arkansas and $1,200 in Virginia, so Virginia is cheaper to insure.
Safety
Violent crime runs 619 incidents per 100,000 residents in Arkansas and 197 in Virginia (FBI Crime Data Explorer, 2023); Virginia is the safer state by that measure, with a rate 214% lower. Property crime is 2,469 per 100,000 in Arkansas against 1,617 in Virginia, again favoring Virginia.
Health
Life expectancy is 73.8 years in Arkansas and 77.9 in Virginia (County Health Rankings, 2024), a 4.1-year edge for Virginia. The Commonwealth Fund's 2023 scorecard ranks Arkansas's health system 44th of 50 and Virginia's 16th, so Virginia scores better on care.
9.4% of Arkansas residents have no health insurance against 8.1% in Virginia, which favors Virginia. Both states expanded Medicaid.
Schools
Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Arkansas's K-12 schools 42nd in the country and Virginia's 10th, 32 places apart in Virginia's favor. Arkansas runs a school-choice voucher program; Virginia does not.
Laws and politics
In the 2024 presidential election Arkansas went to Trump by 28 points and Virginia went to Harris by 3 points.
Arkansas has permitless carry and a Giffords gun-law grade of F; Virginia has shall-issue carry permits and a grade of A-, so Virginia regulates guns more tightly and Arkansas is the friendlier state for gun owners.
Abortion is banned with narrow exceptions in Arkansas and legal with limits in Virginia, and marijuana is medical only in Arkansas and legal for adults in Virginia as of 2026. The minimum wage is $11.00 an hour in Arkansas and $12.00 in Virginia.
Climate and risk
Natural disaster risk is high in Arkansas (tornado, flood) and moderate in Virginia (hurricane, flood, nor-easter), so Virginia is the lower-risk state. Annual average air quality index is 35 in Arkansas and 37 in Virginia (under 50 is good), favoring Arkansas.
Tax figures use a household earning the national median income and owning each state's median home, at tax year 2026 rates, last checked against state sources on 2026-09-14. The table below has every number.
Taxes
Housing & Cost of Living
Crime & Safety
Healthcare
Education
Childcare
Utilities & Daily Costs
Social Policy
Category wins
7
Arkansas
7
Virginia
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Score For My Profile →Questions people ask
Is Arkansas or Virginia better to live in?
It depends on what you weigh most. Arkansas on taxes ($5,966 a year for a median household against $8,199); Arkansas on everyday costs (index 85 against 102); Virginia on safety (197 violent crimes per 100,000 against 619); Virginia on schools (ranked 10th against 42nd).
Which is cheaper, Arkansas or Virginia?
Arkansas is cheaper day to day: cost of living index 85 against 102. The median home is $195K in Arkansas and $390K in Virginia (2024). On state and local taxes Arkansas saves a median household about $2,200 a year.
Does Arkansas or Virginia have lower taxes?
Arkansas. A household earning $74,580 pays about $5,966 a year in Arkansas ($2,680 income tax, $1,170 property tax on the median home and $2,117 in sales tax) and $8,199 in Virginia ($4,031 income tax, $2,886 property tax on the median home and $1,282 in sales tax), at 2026 rates.
Which is safer, Arkansas or Virginia?
Virginia, on the FBI's 2023 figures. Violent crime is 619 per 100,000 residents in Arkansas and 197 in Virginia; property crime is 2,469 against 1,617.
Which has better schools, Arkansas or Virginia?
Virginia. Education Week's 2023 Quality Counts report ranks Arkansas 42nd of 50 for K-12 and Virginia 10th. Arkansas also offers school-choice vouchers.
Is Arkansas or Virginia better for retirees?
Both treat retirement income about the same. Arkansas does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax; Virginia does not tax Social Security, partly exempts pensions and has no estate or inheritance tax. Property tax on a median home is $1,170 a year in Arkansas and $2,886 in Virginia.