Best places to live in Arkansas (2026)

All 9 ranked places in Arkansas, by all-round score. 1 other place without FBI crime data is on the places list.

Ranked by an all-round score: the average of all 14 quality scores (housing costs, taxes, jobs, healthcare, education, family life, safety, natural disasters, climate and more), weighted equally. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out, since their safety is unknown. Scores are out of 100.

1. 1Bentonville, ARSmall city · 3-bed $378k · very safe58
2. 2Rogers, ARSmall city · 3-bed $329k · moderate crime53
3. 3Fayetteville, ARCollege town · 3-bed $344k · moderate crime48
4. 4Little Rock, ARMid-size city · 3-bed $216k · higher crime46
5. 5Conway, ARSmall city · 3-bed $229k · moderate crime45
6. 6North Little Rock, ARSuburb · 3-bed $181k · higher crime44
7. 7Jonesboro, ARSmall city · 3-bed $214k · higher crime41
8. 8Fort Smith, ARSmall city · 3-bed $208k · higher crime40
9. 9Pine Bluff, ARSmall city · 3-bed $111k · higher crime31

Cheapest places to live in Arkansas

Ranked by the typical value of a 3-bedroom home (Zillow), lowest first.

1. 1Pine Bluff, ARSmall city · rent $1,220/mo · cost of living 87$111k
2. 2North Little Rock, ARSuburb · rent $1,540/mo · cost of living 89$181k
3. 3Fort Smith, ARSmall city · rent $1,270/mo · cost of living 86$208k
4. 4Jonesboro, ARSmall city · rent $1,400/mo · cost of living 86$214k
5. 5Little Rock, ARMid-size city · rent $1,540/mo · cost of living 89$216k

Safest places to live in Arkansas

Ranked by violent crimes per resident in FBI 2019 data, lowest first. Places missing from the FBI table are left out.

1. 1Bentonville, ARSmall city · violent crime 0.6× the US rate223 per 100k
2. 2Fayetteville, ARCollege town · violent crime 1.2× the US rate447 per 100k
3. 3Rogers, ARSmall city · violent crime 1.3× the US rate477 per 100k
4. 4Conway, ARSmall city · violent crime 1.3× the US rate481 per 100k
5. 5Jonesboro, ARSmall city · violent crime 1.8× the US rate686 per 100k

Safest places from natural disasters in Arkansas

Ranked by our natural disaster score: FEMA's expected deaths, injuries and home damage from 18 hazards, plus federally declared disasters in the county since 2000.

1. 1Bentonville, AR11 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, ice storms73
2. 2Fort Smith, AR6 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, tornadoes69
3. 3Rogers, AR11 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, ice storms69
4. 4Springdale, AR8 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly heat waves, flooding62
5. 5Little Rock, AR12 declared disasters since 2000 · mainly flooding, earthquakes59

Best places to live for families in Arkansas

Ranked by a family score: the average of our Kids & family, Safety, Education and Affordable housing scores. Places missing from the FBI crime table are left out.

1. 1Bentonville, ARSmall city · kids average · safety excellent · 3-bed $378k66
2. 2Conway, ARSmall city · kids poor · safety average · 3-bed $229k53
3. 3Rogers, ARSmall city · kids below average · safety average · 3-bed $329k52
4. 4Fayetteville, ARCollege town · kids poor · safety average · 3-bed $344k48
5. 5Little Rock, ARMid-size city · kids poor · safety poor · 3-bed $216k47

Best places to live · Cheapest places to live · Safest places to live · Safest places from natural disasters · Best places to live for families

Data: US Census, Zillow, HUD, BEA, FBI 2019, FEMA, NOAA, NASA, CMS, NCES and others. How scores work.