If you like the idea of always being close to the wilderness, surrounded by lush green scenery, then you should totally consider moving to Arkansas.
It is often times referred to as a dream come true for any hiking enthusiast out there, as there are thousands of trails across the state that will surely make you feel like you’re on top of the world every single day.
But that’s not all that there is to Arkansas, as it is also one of the most affordable places to live in the entire country, being way more affordable than most of the other 49 states.
So, if you like the idea of low costs of living, nature everywhere you see and quality public schooling, Arkansas will surely fit the bill for you.
But with that being said, there are a lot of different places that you could pick from here in Arkansas, with each offering you a plethora of advantages that will be sure to cater to any and all of your needs.
So, we took it upon ourselves to debate over what the best place to live in Arkansas is, starting off with our first pick of the day:
20. Bryant
Bryant is a little-known suburb from Little Rock, that serves as the hometown of around 21,000 people. What is special about it though is the fact that it has a very close-knitted community, one of those in which everyone knows each other despite living so far away from one another.
The crime here is also notably very low, and while the occasional theft and burglary can happen, the chances of anything more serious happening are low enough so that you don’t ever have to worry about it.
The average family also brings home around $60,000 a year, and on top of that it is very safe and clean, which makes it a perfect place to raise a child in.
19. Little Rock
We couldn’t have a top 20 list without the state capital now, could we? This is because often times, the state capital is the most illustrious place to live in, and that’s not too far off here either.
There is no shortage of houses and jobs here for you to pick from, and, despite having a total population of 200,000 or so, it still manages to keep itself from feeling like a big city, thanks to the very friendly and accepting community that it has.
Buying yourself a home here in Little Rock is also well worth it as it will cost you only $81,000 to get a small 2-bedroom, 1-bathroom family home.
Do keep in mind however that you can also invest into a massive 5-bedroom inner city mansion with a total of 4-bathrooms for around $1,395,000 too if you so wish to do.
18. Centerton
Centerton is known for being one of the fastest-growing places in the state, as it has grown by a total of 70% since 2010 alone.
That is all for good reason though, since there are enough jobs here to support this population boom, which is why the unemployment rate is as low as 1.7% as of 2022. The economy here is also notable as the poverty rate rests at a casual 6.9%, making this the 7th lowest in the state.
Due to everyone being well off over here, there is also very little crime to be reported, with the total crime rate being 60% lower than the statewide average.
Renting a place in Centerton is also well worth the investment, as it’ll cost you around $1,117 per month, but if you want something a bit more permanent, you can easily get the keys to your dream house for as little as $195,600.
17. Pea Ridge
This little suburb has a total population of just 7,000, giving it a sense of closeness that not a lot of other places in the state can match.
On top of that, Pea Ridge is also the home of the Pea Ridge National Military Park, the wonderful Beaver Lake and of course, we can’t forget about the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Besides all that though, Pea Ridge also has a lot of amazing cafes for you to choose from, including the Pea Ridge Café and the Cannonball Café.
This small town also used to have some of the highest incomes in the state, largely due to Tyson Foods, Walmart and the University of Arkansas being amongst the top employers in the area.
16. Siloam Springs
Siloam Springs is a small college town that first flourished as a health resort in the late 1880s. After which, it became notorious for being a commercial center and transport hub.
Nowadays though you’ll find it to be one of the friendliest and most vibrant places to live in, and if you’re a fan of history you’ll definitely need to check out the downtown as there are plenty of art scenes and historic buildings for you to check out for yourself.
Siloam Springs is also very popular with students looking to attend the private Christian John Brown University. Overall, it is a very safe place to live in, while also having a very low cost of living and a ton of amazing activities to partake in.
15. Bella Vista
Bella Vista can be found in the Ozarks, and it is considered to be one of the most peaceful and picturesque places to raise a family in.
It has a very calm and quiet neighborhood that is surrounded in its entirety by massive forests, overarching valleys and plenty of creeks and lakes.
It was founded way back in 1917, and it was originally meant to be a summer resort destination, only for it to then become a pretty affluent retirement community.
As such, today you’ll find it being populated mostly by wealthy pensioners, although you will also find more than a handful of young families that live here too.
That’s because in recent years, the town has gained a lot of traction thanks to its beautiful houses, top-level schools and the fact that it is located so close to Bentonville.
14. Lowell
Lowell can be found in the Benton County. It is known for being one of the oldest places in the state, since it was founded all the way back in the 1840s.
Nowadays though it is the homeplace of 8,000 people, giving the place a very rural feel to it. Keep in mind though that the nightlife is practically nonexistent here, so if you’re a fan of that, stay away from Lowell for now.
What is good about Lowell though is the fact that it is a very safe place to raise a family in, while also being very affordable, with a house typically selling for around $132,300 or so.
13. Maumelle
Maumelle has a total population of around 19,200 people as we speak. It is known for having a lot of amazing amenities alongside an elevated quality of life, that is one step above a lot of other places here in Arkansas.
The only real downside to it is that it also is one of the most expensive places to live in in Arkansas. Do keep in mind however that this is still Arkansas that we’re talking about, so the average price per home will very rarely go over $222,600.
Besides all of that, you will also be happy to hear that there is a Super Walmart right around the corner and plenty of diners and restaurants that will make your stay all the more delectable.
12. Greenwood
Next up we have Greenwood, one of the best places to live in out of all of Fort Smith’s suburbs. Greenwood gets that title thanks to it being one of the safest places in the state, with a crime rate that is 80% lower than the national average.
On top of that, Greenwood also has the 9th highest rate of insured residents in the whole state, so you’ll never have to do a double take on any medical bill you get here.
This suburb also makes its way on our list thanks to it being very affordable to live in, with a very low cost of living and housing, since buying your very own home will cost as little as $135,300, while renting a place will rarely get more expensive than $758 per month.
11. Conway
Conway is very affordable to live in while also offering you plenty of work opportunities too. Renting out a place here will cost you only $731 per month, and while you may want to move in as soon as you get here, do keep in mind that around 51% of the people here prefer to rent their homes.
The Conway school district is also well worth a second glance as it has a total of 22 public schools for you to choose from, and they’re all way above national expectations.
10. Rogers
Rogers also has amazing housing, great schools and a very diverse community that is known for being very welcoming.
With a total population of around 70,000 people, Rogers earns its keep on our list thanks to its thriving job market and its public school system.
There are as many as 32 schools for the parents to consider sending their children to, and on top of that you’re also very close to the Hobbs State Park at all times so you can always just relax and take a walk anytime you feel like it.
9. Johnson
You can find Johnson deep within the Ozark Mountains of Washington County. It is the home of 3,600 people, and while the community may be small, it is very welcoming and friendly.
The cost of living here is well worth nothing, and the housing is very affordable too, with the median home rate staying around the $163,600 mark for the most part. Renting a place here is also very reasonable, with the average cost ranging around the $705 per month mark.
There are more than a handful of job opportunities here too, making Johnson a very smart, affordable and high-quality option to pick.
8. Cave Springs
The one thing you need to know about Cave Springs is that it has a very competitive property market, so if you want to move in here, you’ll have to be on the lookout for quite some time before you can find the perfect place for you.
That is because parents from all around the country’s margins come together as they try to nab a home here in Cave Springs so that they can ensure their child’s future through the quality schooling that this place provides.
Getting the keys to your place will cost you around $209,300, which isn’t way out of the ballpark for a lot of people out there, so if you can afford it and you want to make sure that your child’s future is set, consider moving to Cave Springs.
7. Sherwood
Sherwood is a pretty large suburb that can be found north of Little Rock. It is the 7th most populated place in the state, but even so, there are plenty of houses for you to choose from too.
Buying that dream house will cost you around $155,800, while rent will make you pay around $859 per month. Amongst the top attractions that Sherwood has to offer, being in close vicinity to Little Rock’s River Market District is nothing to scuff at.
The unemployment and poverty rates are also worth mentioning as they’re quite low here in Sherwood, although keep in mind that one of the downsides of it being so populated is that the crime rate is a lot higher than we’d like it to be.
6. White Hall
This suburb is located only around half an hour away from the state capital, so you can take advantage of this any time, by simply driving to the market there to get the best deals around.
The poverty rate is also pretty low, standing at around 11.8%, with an unemployment rate of 2.0% at that too.
The average family also brings home around $79,808 per year too, which is amazing considering the fact that most houses here average out to costing $160,800 only.
5. Little Flock
Little Flock is a pretty small suburb that can be found on the northeastern side of Bentonville. It has a total population of 3,000 residents, and it is known for being one of the most popular options for millennials nowadays.
The average home here costs around $183,400, although you can also put down around $208,000 or so and ensure yourself a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom family home that is completely surrounded by trees and bushes for as far as the eye can see.
4. Fayetteville
Fayetteville is known for being the first home of Bill and Hillary Clinton, although they are not alone in that as there are 95,000 other residents in this town too.
The reason as to why it is ranked so high up on our list though is the fact that it is very affordable, with rent rarely costing over $712 per month, which is why more than 60% of the population currently lives in rented homes.
It may be a bit on the lower end when it comes to the overall income that the people make, but do keep in mind that the crime rate is also very low and the community is highly educated and diverse too, with around 22% of them having a master’s degree or above.
3. Cammack Village
The name here is a bit elusive, as Cammack Village is actually a suburb of the Arkansas state capital, Little Rock.
It is one of the most desirable places to live in, especially so thanks to its friendly and highly-educated neighborhoods.
Homes here are also decently affordable, with the average place costing you around $191,700, while renting will take around $1,190 out of your overall income.
2. Hot Springs
Hot Springs is known for its healing waters and its stunning architecture, alongside the beautiful old bathhouses that are still in use even to this day.
It was first developed around the late nineteenth and early twentieth century, and it instantly became known for attracting the likes of baseball teams, celebrities ,and even bootleggers to its spas.
Besides the obvious though, Hot Springs is also known for being full of shops and restaurants, while also being a very affordable option while also being very luxurious at that too.
1. Bentonville
We couldn’t end this list without mentioning the top pick on everyone’s mind right now, Bentonville.
This place is famous for being the birthplace of Walmart, which is why you’ll also find a Walmart Museum that showcases its evolution over the years.
Bentonville also has a total population of around 55,000 and rising, and it is often times regarded as the best place to live in Arkansas.
It has incredibly low crime rates and amazing public schools, with some incredibly affordable housing to add to the list too.
The only real downside is the fact that the cost of living will surpass what a lot of other places will ask for out there, but hey, the quality of living here is also quite elevated, so it balances out at the end of the day.
Conclusion
Most of these places showcase the best parts about living in Arkansas, namely the low crime rates, the affordability and the closeness to nature.
On top of all of that though, Arkansas also has a very good economy to boast with too, so keep in mind that while some places are a bit more expensive than others, this can all be explained thanks to its elevated living conditions.
For more interesting places to live in, check out Arkansas’ neighboring states: Missouri, Tennessee, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma.
