MAIN Home Life House & Home Moving Arkansas

Nicknamed "The Natural State" by the statewide tourism industry, Arkansas offers a diverse range of natural beauty from the scenic Ozarks and Ouachita Mountains to the Delta or eastern lowlands along the Mississippi River. In total, Arkansas is home to hundreds of lakes, streams and rivers, 51 state parks and three national forests.

Rooted in an agricultural-based economy, Arkansas remains a major producer of poultry and eggs, soybeans, cotton and cattle. In addition, Arkansas is often ranked among the top ten states for industry with five homegrown Fortune 500 companies headquartered here including Alltel, Dillard's, Murphy Oil, Tyson Foods and Wal-Mart.

Arkansas has historically offered a cheaper cost of living than the national average, helped along by its record of levying some of the lowest property taxes in the nation.

Quality-of-life statistics for Arkansas

Demographics: (Arkansas Census Data)
Major cities: Little Rock (capital), Fort Smith, Fayetteville, Hot Springs
Population : 2,810,872
White : 81.3%
Black, African American : 15.7%
Hispanic : 4.7%
High school graduates : 75.3%
Bachelor's degree or higher : 16.7%
Average household income: $35,295

Cost of Living: Statewide, Arkansas' cost of living index is rated below the national average, or about 91.0 compared with 100.0 for the rest of the country. The Metro Little Rock region composite index is 94.8%.

Property Taxes : The Tax Foundation - Arkansas' Tax Climate - Arkansas local governments collect less in property taxes than any other state, and even with the state government taking an additional share (and an inordinate high one at that, compared to other states), Arkansas continues to rank 49th nationally in per capita per property tax collection.

Personal Income Taxes: Arkansas levies an individual income tax, using six tax brackets ranging from 1 percent to 7 percent. Residents must complete returns on Form AR 1000 (long form) or Form AR 1000S (short form), by April 15.

Housing & Real Estate Overview : also see Zillow - Arkansas Real Estate
Home ownership rate : 69.4%
Average home price: $142,967
Average travel time to work : 21.9 minutes

Schools: see Arkansas Department of Education

Weather : Arkansas is generally known for very hot, humid summers and milder, drier winters. As part of Tornado Alley, the state has its fair share of tornadoes, along with destructive remnants of major tropical storms (spawned in the nearby Gulf of Mexico) during hurricane season.

Crime: see Crime in Arkansas

also see -> Arkansas Taxes | Arkansas Eviction Laws

Arkansas Fall Foliage | Arkansas Beaches | Arkansas Travel

Christmas in Arkansas | Arkansas Kids Party Locations

More about moving to Arkansas around the Web:

Moving to Arkansas - Facts & information on state taxes, health care & medical facilities, Arkansas schools and educational system, plus a guide for retirees, photo virtual tour, travel & recreational opportunities, related resources.

Metro Little Rock Alliance - Geared to attracting new businesses to the state, with overviews of neighborhoods & communities, cost of living, workforce statistics and related information.

Arkansas Schools - Profiles for more than 1,000 public, private and charter schools in Arkansas searchable by location or school district.

Arkansas Real Estate, Apartments & Job Classifieds:

Little Rock: Arkansas Times | Arkansas Democrat Gazette
Fayetteville : Northwest Arkansas Times
Hot Springs : Sentinel-Times