Quality of Life Score
42.07
State Comparison
Arkansas vs Tennessee
Arkansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Arkansas, Tennessee has higher incomes, Tennessee has lower state income tax, and Arkansas gets more sunshine.
Arkansas
19
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Tennessee
12
/ 31
metrics won
AR wins Housing
AR wins Quality of Life
AR wins Climate
TN wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Arkansas
vs
Tennessee
winner
Tennessee scores higher on quality of life — 4.95 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 4.4 points cheaper overall
Arkansas has the lower cost-of-living index. Arkansas is at 87.6, while Tennessee is at 92.0.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $2.08 further in Arkansas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $113.40 of local buying power in Arkansas, versus $111.32 in Tennessee.
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Income
Tennessee income is 19.3% higher
Tennessee has the higher median household income at $62,166, compared with $52,123 in Arkansas.
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Jobs
Arkansas minimum wage is $3.75 higher
Arkansas has the higher statewide minimum wage at $11.00/hr, compared with $7.25/hr in Tennessee.
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Housing
Tennessee homes cost about 1.7x more
Arkansas has the lower median home value at $154,200, versus $269,600 in Tennessee.
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Taxes
Tennessee has lower state income tax
Tennessee has the lower state income tax rate. Its top rate is 0.00%, compared with 4.40% in Arkansas.
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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
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- State income tax (top rate 4.4%)
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- After state tax
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- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
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Tennessee
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (none)
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- 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, 92.0 for Tennessee). 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 a lower violent crime rate.
- Arkansas job growth trend is stronger.
- Arkansas health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- Arkansas shows lower median income.
- Arkansas has higher property tax rates on average.
- Arkansas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Arkansas education proxy is lower.
Tennessee
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Tennessee
- Tennessee shows higher median income.
- Tennessee has lower property tax rates on average.
- Tennessee health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Tennessee education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Tennessee has a higher overall cost of living.
- Tennessee has a higher housing cost index.
- Tennessee has higher median home values.
- Tennessee has a higher violent crime rate.
- Tennessee job growth trend is weaker.
- Tennessee health coverage access proxy is weaker.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AR
|
TN
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Little Rock | Nashville |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Red |
|
Population
|
3,011,524
|
6,910,840
|
|
Median Income
|
$52,123
|
$62,166
|
|
Cost of Living
|
87.6
|
92.0
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$154,200
|
$269,600
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.55%
|
0.50%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
4.40%
|
None (0%)
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$11.00/hr
|
$7.25/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.610/gal
|
$3.852/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
12.35 c/kWh
|
13.10 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
42.07
|
47.02
|
|
Average Temperature
|
60.4°F
|
57.6°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
123 days
|
102 days
|
|
Land Area
|
53,179 sq mi
|
42,144 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
56.6 per sq mi
|
164.0 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
June 15, 1836 (#25)
|
June 1, 1796 (#16)
|
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
15
shown
Saving Money
Arkansas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 87.6 vs 92.0 in Tennessee. 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 $3.852/gal in Tennessee. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Arkansas has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $11.00/hr in Arkansas vs $7.25/hr in Tennessee. 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 13.10 c/kWh in Tennessee. 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 4.34x in Tennessee. 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 21.2% in Tennessee. 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
Tennessee has a larger population than Arkansas by 3,899,316 people.
Population Density
Tennessee is more densely populated than Arkansas.
Bachelor's Degree
Tennessee has a higher college-educated share than Arkansas.
Advanced Degree
Tennessee has a higher advanced-degree share than Arkansas.
People Also Ask
Arkansas vs Tennessee - Common Questions
Q Is Arkansas cheaper to live in than Tennessee?
Arkansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Arkansas scores 87.6 versus 92.0 for Tennessee - a gap of 4.4 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Arkansas or Tennessee?
$100 goes further in Arkansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.40 in Arkansas, compared with $111.32 in Tennessee.
Q Which state is bigger - Arkansas or Tennessee?
Arkansas is larger, covering 53,179 sq mi compared with 42,144 sq mi for Tennessee - roughly 1.3x the size.
Q Does Arkansas or Tennessee have more people?
Tennessee has the larger population at 6,910,840, compared with 3,011,524 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has higher household income - Arkansas or Tennessee?
Tennessee has the higher median household income at $62,166, versus $52,123 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Arkansas or Tennessee?
Tennessee has no state income tax, while Arkansas charges up to 4.40%.
Q Is housing cheaper in Arkansas or Tennessee?
Homes are cheaper in Arkansas, where the median home value is $154,200, versus $269,600 in Tennessee.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Arkansas or Tennessee?
Tennessee is more densely populated at 164.0 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.