Cost of living in Arkansas
Prices in Arkansas are 13.1% below the US average (51st highest of 51). A single filer on $75,000 pays $2,287 in state income tax. State sales tax: 6.5%.
Price levels in Arkansas
| BEA RPP 2024 | Arkansas | vs US (100) |
|---|---|---|
| All items | 86.9 | −13.1% |
| Goods | 93.6 | −6.4% |
| Housing (rents) | 58.2 | −41.8% |
| Utilities | 74.7 | −25.3% |
| Other services | 95.3 | −4.7% |
Metros in Arkansas
Metros whose principal city is in Arkansas. “Left over” = a single renter earning $60,000, after 2026 taxes (including the principal city’s local tax) and modeled costs.
| Metro | Population | Price level | 2-BR FMR | Infant care / wk* | Left over / mo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock, AR | 777,607 | 89.4 | $1,121 | $148 (2021) | $1,542 |
| Fayetteville, AR | 622,177 | 91.4 | $1,256 | $148 (2021) | $1,455 |
| Fort Smith, AR-OK | 234,140 | 85.9 | $979 | $88 (2021) | $1,763 |
| Jonesboro, AR | 139,440 | 85.9 | $1,079 | $148 (2021) | $1,616 |
| Hot Springs, AR | 99,695 | 85.7 | $1,110 | $148 (2021) | $1,648 |
*Center-based, DOL 2022 price for the metro’s principal county; a year in brackets marks an older latest-available price. “No data”: DOL publishes no price for that county, and childcare is left out of its budgets.
Also partly in Arkansas: Memphis, TN-MS-AR, Texarkana, TX-AR.
Taxes in Arkansas (2026)
| Annual tax | Single, $50,000 | Single, $75,000 | Single, $120,000 | Couple, 2 kids, $120,000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal income tax | $3,820 | $7,670 | $17,570 | $5,640 |
| Social Security + Medicare | $3,825 | $5,738 | $9,180 | $9,180 |
| Arkansas income tax | $1,362 | $2,287 | $4,240 | $4,061 |
| Arkansas payroll taxes | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Take-home pay / month | $3,416 | $4,942 | $7,418 | $8,427 |
Annual liability, standard deduction, Child Tax Credit; local income taxes are not included in this state-level table (see each metro). On $75,000, Arkansas’s income and payroll taxes cost $2,287 a year more than in a state without them (federal taxes are the same: $13,408).
Childcare prices across Arkansas
| Age band | Center, median county / wk (2021) | Center / yr today* | Home-based / wk (2021) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Infant (under 2) | $103 | $6,773 | $93 |
| Toddler (2) | $104 | $6,888 | $95 |
| Preschool (3–4) | $93 | $6,112 | $89 |
| School-age (5–12) | $83 | $5,451 | $86 |
DOL has no 2022 childcare prices for Arkansas; these are the latest published, from 2021.
Center-based infant care ranges from $88 a week in Sebastian County to $148 in Benton County (2021 prices).
DOL National Database of Childcare Prices, 2021; median across 68 counties with 2021 data (7 more counties have only an older year and are not included here). *52 weeks × 1.2707 BLS CPI for day care and preschool, 2021 average to 2026-08. Look up a county.
Property taxes by county
Effective rate = Census median real estate taxes ÷ median home value (ACS 2020-2024), metro-area counties.
| County | Median value | Median tax | Effective rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | $214,700 | $1,642 | 0.76% |
| Lonoke County | $193,600 | $1,211 | 0.63% |
| Sebastian County | $176,200 | $1,101 | 0.62% |
| Saline County | $221,200 | $1,367 | 0.62% |
| Crittenden County | $160,200 | $987 | 0.62% |
| Washington County | $298,400 | $1,564 | 0.52% |
| Little River County | $113,500 | $566 | 0.50% |
| Perry County | $130,200 | $634 | 0.49% |
| Garland County | $194,300 | $933 | 0.48% |
| Madison County | $178,100 | $736 | 0.41% |
Five highest and five lowest of 17 counties.
Energy and fuel
EIA: electricity 2025, natural gas 2024, gasoline week ending 2026-10-05.
Who moves to and from Arkansas
Census state-to-state migration flows (2024 ACS 1-year; people 1 year and over, ± margin of error at 90%). Totals cover moves between states and DC only: 62,808 in, 56,414 out (net +6,394).
- Texas9,063 ±3,256
- Oklahoma5,998 ±1,642
- Missouri5,767 ±1,955
- Mississippi5,010 ±2,899
- Florida4,633 ±2,564
- Tennessee3,503 ±1,498
- Louisiana3,011 ±1,213
- California2,462 ±1,049
Frequently asked questions
Is Arkansas expensive to live in?+
BEA’s Regional Price Parities put Arkansas’s overall price level at 86.9 in 2024 (US = 100), the 51st highest of 51 states and DC. Housing is 58.2 and goods 93.6.
Does Arkansas have a state income tax?+
Yes. A single filer earning $75,000 owes about $2,287 in Arkansas income tax under 2026 law (3.0% of pay).
What is the sales tax in Arkansas?+
The state rate is 6.5% (as of 2026-10-13); groceries are exempt from the state rate. Local sales taxes can add to this.
What is the most affordable metro in Arkansas?+
For a single renter earning $60,000, Fort Smith, AR-OK leaves the most each month after taxes and modeled costs ($1,763), and Fayetteville, AR the least ($1,455).