Arkansas
- After state tax
- —
- Housing / month
- —
- Left after housing
- —
- Cost-adjusted remainder
- —
Arkansas vs Texas
Arkansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Arkansas, Texas has higher incomes, Texas has lower state income tax, and Texas gets more sunshine.
Arkansas
AR · South
15 / 33
metrics won
VS
Texas
TX · South
18 / 33
metrics won
Winner
AR wins Housing
AR wins Quality of Life
TX wins Climate
TX wins Income
TX wins Demographics
TX wins Taxes
AR 15
18 TX
What matters to you?
Tell us your priority, get a verdict
Your match
Texas fits you better
Texas wins 18 of 33 scored metrics against Arkansas.
Your match — Saving Money
Arkansas is cheaper overall
Cost-of-living index: 87.6 in Arkansas vs 94.3 in Texas. On a national baseline of 100, the lower score usually means cheaper day-to-day expenses. See full data →
Your match — Jobs
Arkansas has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $11.00/hr in Arkansas vs $7.25/hr in Texas. Matters most for hourly and entry-level work. See full data →
Your match — Housing
Arkansas is more attainable for buyers
Home-value-to-income ratio: 2.96x in Arkansas vs 4.40x in Texas. Lower means the median home is easier to afford on a median income. See full data →
Your match — Weather
Texas is warmer overall
Average annual temperature: 64.8°F in Texas vs 60.4°F in Arkansas. See full data →
Your match — Family & Health
Texas looks better for families
Texas wins more family-oriented signals in this matchup, including violent crime rate, life expectancy, bachelor's degree, compared with Arkansas. See full data →
Run the numbers
What's your salary really worth?
Texas
- After state tax
- —
- Housing / month
- —
- Left after housing
- —
- Cost-adjusted remainder
- —
Illustrative estimate only. Uses top marginal state income tax rate, BEA Regional Price Parity, and median housing costs — excludes federal tax, utilities, insurance, childcare, and debt.
Full comparison
Every metric, side by side
Pick a category. Each row opens the full breakdown for that metric — national rank, chart, and sourcing.
Capital City
Little Rock
vs
Austin
State Color
Solid Red
vs
Solid Red
Population
3,133,502
32,101,064
Median Income
$52,123
$66,963
Cost of Living
87.6
94.3
Median Housing Value
$154,200
$294,400
Property Tax
0.55%
1.49%
State Income Tax
4.40%
None (0%)
Minimum Wage
$11.00/hr
$7.25/hr
Gas Price
$3.610/gal
$3.824/gal
Electricity Rates
12.35 c/kWh
15.69 c/kWh
Livability Score
42.07
47.21
Average Temperature
60.4°F
64.8°F
Sunny Days
123 days
135 days
Land Area
53,179 sq mi
268,596 sq mi
Population Density
58.9 per sq mi
119.5 per sq mi
Statehood
June 15, 1836 (#25)
December 29, 1845 (#28)
Population
3,133,502
32,101,064
Population Density
58.9 per sq mi
119.5 per sq mi
Bachelor's Degree
26.2%
34.2%
Advanced Degree
9.5%
12.6%
Net Domestic Migration
+14,500
+67,300
Population Growth Since 2020
+4.0%
+10.1%
Livability Score
42.07
47.21
Best State to Live In
42.07
47.21
Cost of Living
87.6
94.3
Gas Price
$3.610/gal
$3.824/gal
Gas Tax
24.70 c/gal
20.00 c/gal
Electricity Rates
12.35 c/kWh
15.69 c/kWh
Commute Time
22.0 min
26.6 min
Car Insurance Cost
$2,450/yr
$2,577/yr
Average Credit Score
693
692
Average Temperature
60.4°F
64.8°F
Summer Temperature
78.8°F
81.1°F
Winter Temperature
41.5°F
47.9°F
Sunny Days
123 days
135 days
Annual Precipitation
50.6 in
28.9 in
Average Wind Speed
7.4 mph
10.1 mph
Lightning Density
145.6 per sq mi
154.9 per sq mi
Median Housing Value
$154,200
$294,400
Median Gross Rent
$881/mo
$1,232/mo
Median Monthly Owner Costs With Mortgage
$1,375/mo
$2,211/mo
Owner Costs Without Mortgage
$450/mo
$703/mo
Homeownership Rate
66.2%
62.6%
Home Value to Income Ratio
2.96x
4.40x
Rent to Income Ratio
20.3%
22.1%
Owner Costs to Income
14.6%
18.0%
Home Insurance Cost
$5,045/yr
$6,854/yr
State Income Tax
4.40%
None (0%)
State Sales Tax
6.50%
6.25%
Property Tax
0.55%
1.49%
Total Tax Burden
8.44%
7.69%
Grocery Tax Rate
0.125% (Reduced)
0% (Exempt)
Estate and Inheritance Tax
No State Death Tax
vs
No State Death Tax
Annual Vehicle Property Tax
Yes
vs
No
State Color
Solid Red
vs
Solid Red
Presidential Voting Margin
Rep +30.64
Rep +13.66
Swing State / Battleground
Not a battleground
vs
Not a battleground
Governor Party
Republican
vs
Republican
State House Control
Republican
vs
Republican
State Senate Control
Republican
vs
Republican
Trifecta
Republican Trifecta
vs
Republican Trifecta
Electoral Votes
6
40
Gun Laws Status
Permissive
vs
Permissive
Alcohol Laws
License State
vs
License State
Marijuana Legalization
Medical
vs
Medical
Minimum Marriage Age
17
16
Gun Ownership
57.2%
44.9%
Abortion Law Status
Total Ban (Banned)
vs
Total Ban (Banned)
Right-to-Work Law
Yes
vs
Yes
Land Area
53,179 sq mi
268,596 sq mi
Highest Point
Magazine Mountain (Signal Hill) (2,753 ft)
Guadalupe Peak (8,751 ft)
Statehood
June 15, 1836 (#25)
December 29, 1845 (#28)
Capital City
Little Rock
vs
Austin
Region
South
vs
South
Life Expectancy
73.4 yrs
76.2 yrs
Older Adult Health Outcomes
34.5
30.5
Uninsured Rate
8.9%
16.4%
Obesity Rate
38.9%
35.6%
Healthcare Quality Score
35.2
35.6
Infant Mortality Rate
8.28 per 1,000
5.70 per 1,000
Drug Overdose Death Rate
13.9 per 100,000
15.8 per 100,000
Violent Crime Rate
556.3 per 100k
431.8 per 100k
Property Crime Rate
2507.2 per 100k
2338.9 per 100k
AZA-Accredited Zoos
1
17
Casinos
3 (Oaklawn)
4 (Kickapoo Lucky Eagle)
UFO Sightings per 100,000
42.0 per 100K
25.6 per 100K
Most Popular Car
GMC
vs
Ford
K-12 Education Rank
#41
#38
High School Graduation Rate
90.0%
90.0%
Student-Teacher Ratio
14.0:1
14.8:1
School Spending
$13,873
$12,444
Teacher Salary
$59,193
$63,749
Public School Ranking
#38
#34
Student Loan Debt
$34,024
$33,770
College Graduation Rate
46.6%
45.3%
Median Income
$52,123
$66,963
Regional Price Parity
86.1
97.2
Purchasing Power of $100
$113.40
$109.17
Poverty Rate
15.7%
13.7%
Employment/Population Ratio
56.1%
62.6%
Unemployment Rate
4.2%
4.3%
Job Growth
1.1%
0.9%
Infant Childcare Cost
$8,873/yr
$10,706/yr
Income Needed to Live Alone
$81,078/yr
$90,771/yr
Water Quality Score
83.7/100 (A)
78.1/100 (B)
Annual Power Outage Hours
8.5 hours/yr
21.2 hours/yr
Road Quality Rank
#44
#36
Renewable Electricity Share
9.1%
33.1%
Largest Airport
Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport (LIT)
vs
Dallas/Fort Worth International (DFW)
Tradeoffs
Pros and cons for each state
The biggest advantages and drawbacks pulled from affordability, housing, income, taxes, safety, health, education, jobs, and weather.
Arkansas
Pros
- 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.
- Arkansas health coverage access proxy is stronger.
Cons
- Arkansas shows lower median income.
- Arkansas has a higher violent crime rate.
- Arkansas health access/outcomes proxy is lower.
- Arkansas education proxy is lower.
- Arkansas has fewer sunny days.
Texas
Pros
- Texas shows higher median income.
- Texas has a lower violent crime rate.
- Texas health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Texas education proxy is higher.
- Texas has more sunny days.
Cons
- Texas has a higher overall cost of living.
- Texas has a higher housing cost index.
- Texas has higher median home values.
- Texas has higher property tax rates on average.
- Texas job growth trend is weaker.
- Texas health coverage access proxy is weaker.
People also ask
Arkansas vs Texas — common questions
QIs Arkansas cheaper to live in than Texas?
Arkansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Arkansas scores 87.6 versus 94.3 for Texas - a gap of 6.7 points.
QWhere does $100 go further - Arkansas or Texas?
$100 goes further in Arkansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.40 in Arkansas, compared with $109.17 in Texas.
QWhich state is bigger - Arkansas or Texas?
Texas is larger, covering 268,596 sq mi compared with 53,179 sq mi for Arkansas - roughly 5.1x the size.
QDoes Arkansas or Texas have more people?
Texas has the larger population at 32,101,064, compared with 3,133,502 in Arkansas.
QWhich state has higher household income - Arkansas or Texas?
Texas has the higher median household income at $66,963, versus $52,123 in Arkansas.
QWhich state has lower income taxes - Arkansas or Texas?
Texas has no state income tax, while Arkansas charges up to 4.40%.
QIs housing cheaper in Arkansas or Texas?
Homes are cheaper in Arkansas, where the median home value is $154,200, versus $294,400 in Texas.
QWhich state is more densely populated - Arkansas or Texas?
Texas is more densely populated at 119.5 per sq mi people per sq mi. Arkansas is more spread out at 58.9 per sq mi people per sq mi.
Related comparisons
Methodology
Figures combine government datasets, named research sources, and clearly labeled derived scores. Dataset reviewed July 23, 2026.
Demographics & geography
2020 Census, American Community Survey, TIGER/Line Files, National Archives
Income, housing & cost of living
American Community Survey, BLS, BEA Regional Price Parities, and named market studies
Wages & energy
U.S. Department of Labor, AAA, U.S. EIA
Politics & law
NCSL, Giffords Law Center, NABCA
Data periods differ by metric. Open any individual comparison metric to see its primary source, data period, review date, and calculation note. Daily-changing fields such as gas prices are stored snapshots unless the page explicitly says a live feed is used.
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau — 2020 Census
- U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey
- U.S. Census Bureau — TIGER/Line Files
- National Archives
- BEA — Regional Price Parities
- BLS — State Labor Market Data
- NOAA — U.S. Climate Normals
- FBI — Crime Data Explorer
- FEMA — National Risk Index
- U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws
- AAA — Gas Prices
- U.S. Energy Information Administration — Electricity
- NCSL — State Partisan Composition
- Giffords Law Center — Annual Gun Law Scorecard
- NABCA
- NCSL — State Medical Cannabis Laws
See our editorial policy for how we review and update these pages.