Quality of Life Score
42.07
State Comparison
Arkansas vs California
Arkansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Arkansas, California has higher incomes, Arkansas has lower state income tax, and California gets more sunshine.
Arkansas
16
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
California
15
/ 31
metrics won
AR wins Housing
AR wins Quality of Life
CA wins Climate
CA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Arkansas
vs
California
winner
California scores higher on quality of life — 8.42 points difference.
Overview
Key differences overview
These cards keep the comparison factual first, so the biggest tradeoffs in affordability, housing, taxes, politics, climate, and day-to-day living are easy to scan.
Overall Affordability
Arkansas is 50.9 points cheaper overall
Arkansas has the lower cost-of-living index. Arkansas is at 87.6, while California is at 138.5.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $21.09 further in Arkansas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $113.40 of local buying power in Arkansas, versus $92.31 in California.
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Income
California income is 61.3% higher
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, compared with $52,123 in Arkansas.
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Jobs
California minimum wage is $5.50 higher
California has the higher statewide minimum wage at $16.50/hr, compared with $11.00/hr in Arkansas.
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Housing
California homes cost about 4.5x more
Arkansas has the lower median home value at $154,200, versus $693,700 in California.
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Taxes
Arkansas has lower state income tax
Arkansas has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 4.40%, compared with 13.30% in California.
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Enter your gross income to see real purchasing power and the cost-of-living equivalent in both states.
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Arkansas
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 4.4%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
California
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 13.3%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Cost-of-Living Equivalent
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* "After state tax" uses the top marginal rate — actual effective rate is lower for most incomes. Real buying power uses BEA Regional Price Parity (86.1 for Arkansas, 113.4 for California). COL equivalent uses the MERIC/C2ER composite index.
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
A fast scan of the biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Arkansas
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Arkansas
- Arkansas has a lower overall cost of living.
- Arkansas has a lower housing cost index.
- Arkansas has lower median home values.
- Arkansas has lower property tax rates on average.
- Arkansas job growth trend is stronger.
Cons
- Arkansas shows lower median income.
- Arkansas has a higher violent crime rate.
- Arkansas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Arkansas health coverage access proxy is weaker.
- Arkansas education proxy is lower.
- Arkansas has fewer sunny days.
California
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: California
- California shows higher median income.
- California has a lower violent crime rate.
- California health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- California health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- California education proxy is higher.
- California has more sunny days.
Cons
- California has a higher overall cost of living.
- California has a higher housing cost index.
- California has higher median home values.
- California has higher property tax rates on average.
- California job growth trend is weaker.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AR
|
CA
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Little Rock | Sacramento |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
3,011,524
|
39,538,223
|
|
Median Income
|
$52,123
|
$84,097
|
|
Cost of Living
|
87.6
|
138.5
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$154,200
|
$693,700
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.55%
|
0.70%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
4.40%
|
13.30%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$11.00/hr
|
$16.50/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.610/gal
|
$5.929/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
12.35 c/kWh
|
30.29 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
42.07
|
50.49
|
|
Average Temperature
|
60.4°F
|
59.4°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
123 days
|
146 days
|
|
Land Area
|
53,179 sq mi
|
163,696 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
56.6 per sq mi
|
241.5 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
June 15, 1836 (#25)
|
September 9, 1850 (#31)
|
Intent-Oriented
Which state fits your priorities better?
Use these cards as decision shortcuts for common goals like saving money, buying a home, finding better weather, or optimizing for work and family life.
6
of
18
shown
Saving Money
Arkansas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 87.6 vs 138.5 in California. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses.
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Gas Price
Arkansas is cheaper at the pump
Average regular gas price: $3.610/gal in Arkansas vs $5.929/gal in California. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
California has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $16.50/hr in California vs $11.00/hr in Arkansas. That matters most for hourly, entry-level, and part-time workers.
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Electricity Rates
Arkansas has cheaper electricity
Average residential electricity rate: 12.35 c/kWh in Arkansas vs 30.29 c/kWh in California. Lower cents-per-kWh pricing can help keep utility bills down.
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Buying a Home
Arkansas is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.96x in Arkansas vs 8.25x in California. A lower ratio means the median home is easier to afford on a median income.
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Renting
Arkansas is easier for renters
Rent-to-income ratio: 20.3% in Arkansas vs 26.5% in California. A lower percentage means rent takes a smaller bite out of a typical household budget.
See full dataExplore by Category
Dive Deeper
Each link opens a full one-on-one breakdown for that metric — national rankings, charts, and context.
Population
California has a larger population than Arkansas by 36,526,699 people.
Population Density
California is more densely populated than Arkansas.
Bachelor's Degree
California has a higher college-educated share than Arkansas.
Advanced Degree
California has a higher advanced-degree share than Arkansas.
People Also Ask
Arkansas vs California - Common Questions
Q Is Arkansas cheaper to live in than California?
Arkansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Arkansas scores 87.6 versus 138.5 for California - a gap of 50.9 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Arkansas or California?
$100 goes further in Arkansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.40 in Arkansas, compared with $92.31 in California.
Q Which state is bigger - Arkansas or California?
California is larger, covering 163,696 sq mi compared with 53,179 sq mi for Arkansas - roughly 3.1x the size.
Q Does Arkansas or California have more people?
California has the larger population at 39,538,223, compared with 3,011,524 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has higher household income - Arkansas or California?
California has the higher median household income at $84,097, versus $52,123 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Arkansas or California?
Arkansas has the lower state income tax top rate at 4.40%, compared with 13.30% in California.
Q Is housing cheaper in Arkansas or California?
Homes are cheaper in Arkansas, where the median home value is $154,200, versus $693,700 in California.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Arkansas or California?
California is more densely populated at 241.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Arkansas is more spread out at 56.6 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related Comparisons
Methodology
All figures are sourced from U.S. government datasets and updated annually. Page last updated: April 2026.
Core demographic data comes from the 2020 U.S. Census, with land area from U.S. Census Bureau TIGER files and statehood dates from the National Archives. Income, housing, affordability, and tax fields are maintained in our comparison dataset; purchasing-power figures use BEA Regional Price Parities. Minimum wage data comes from the U.S. Department of Labor, gas prices from AAA, and electricity rates from the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Political control and election fields use 2024 presidential results together with National Conference of State Legislatures data. Gun-law labels use the Giffords scorecard, alcohol system data comes from NABCA, and marijuana status uses NCSL's state cannabis laws tracker. See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.