Quality of Life Score
42.07
State Comparison
Arkansas vs Virginia
Arkansas is cheaper overall, while $100 goes further in Arkansas, Virginia has higher incomes, Arkansas has lower state income tax, and Arkansas gets more sunshine.
Arkansas
17
/ 31
metrics won
Score
VS
Virginia
14
/ 31
metrics won
AR wins Housing
AR wins Quality of Life
AR wins Climate
VA wins Income
Quality of Life
Composite score — income, affordability, education, health, and safety.
Arkansas
vs
Virginia
winner
Virginia scores higher on quality of life — 14.11 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 16.1 points cheaper overall
Arkansas has the lower cost-of-living index. Arkansas is at 87.6, while Virginia is at 103.7.
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Real Dollar Value
$100 goes $8.56 further in Arkansas
After BEA price-level adjustments, $100 has about $113.40 of local buying power in Arkansas, versus $104.84 in Virginia.
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Income
Virginia income is 67.4% higher
Virginia has the higher median household income at $87,249, compared with $52,123 in Arkansas.
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Jobs
Virginia minimum wage is $4.00 higher
Virginia has the higher statewide minimum wage at $15.00/hr, compared with $11.00/hr in Arkansas.
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Housing
Virginia homes cost about 2.4x more
Arkansas has the lower median home value at $154,200, versus $367,900 in Virginia.
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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 5.75% in Virginia.
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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)
- —
Virginia
- Gross salary
- —
- State income tax (top rate 5.8%)
- —
- After state tax
- —
- Real buying power (BEA RPP)
- —
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, 102.4 for Virginia). 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.
- Arkansas has more sunny days.
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.
Virginia
At-a-glance strengths and tradeoffs
Pros: Virginia
- Virginia shows higher median income.
- Virginia has a lower violent crime rate.
- Virginia health access/outcomes proxy is higher.
- Virginia health coverage access proxy is stronger.
- Virginia education proxy is higher.
Cons
- Virginia has a higher overall cost of living.
- Virginia has a higher housing cost index.
- Virginia has higher median home values.
- Virginia has higher property tax rates on average.
- Virginia job growth trend is weaker.
- Virginia has fewer sunny days.
Full Comparison
Pick a category to focus on. General shows the most important facts at a glance.
| Metric |
AR
|
VA
|
|---|---|---|
|
Capital City
|
Little Rock | Richmond |
|
State Color
|
Solid Red | Solid Blue |
|
Population
|
3,011,524
|
8,631,393
|
|
Median Income
|
$52,123
|
$87,249
|
|
Cost of Living
|
87.6
|
103.7
|
|
Median Housing Value
|
$154,200
|
$367,900
|
|
Property Tax
|
0.55%
|
0.73%
|
|
State Income Tax
|
4.40%
|
5.75%
|
|
Minimum Wage
|
$11.00/hr
|
$15.00/hr
|
|
Gas Price
|
$3.610/gal
|
$4.063/gal
|
|
Electricity Rates
|
12.35 c/kWh
|
15.87 c/kWh
|
|
Livability Score
|
42.07
|
56.18
|
|
Average Temperature
|
60.4°F
|
55.1°F
|
|
Sunny Days
|
123 days
|
100 days
|
|
Land Area
|
53,179 sq mi
|
42,775 sq mi
|
|
Population Density
|
56.6 per sq mi
|
201.8 per sq mi
|
|
Statehood
|
June 15, 1836 (#25)
|
June 25, 1788 (#10)
|
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
19
shown
Saving Money
Arkansas is cheaper overall
Overall cost-of-living index: 87.6 vs 103.7 in Virginia. 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 $4.063/gal in Virginia. Lower pump prices can cut everyday driving costs.
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Minimum Wage
Virginia has the higher minimum wage
State minimum wage: $15.00/hr in Virginia 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 15.87 c/kWh in Virginia. 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 4.22x in Virginia. 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 20.9% in Virginia. 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
Virginia has a larger population than Arkansas by 5,619,869 people.
Population Density
Virginia is more densely populated than Arkansas.
Bachelor's Degree
Virginia has a higher college-educated share than Arkansas.
Advanced Degree
Virginia has a higher advanced-degree share than Arkansas.
People Also Ask
Arkansas vs Virginia - Common Questions
Q Is Arkansas cheaper to live in than Virginia?
Arkansas has the lower cost of living. On the national index (100 = average), Arkansas scores 87.6 versus 103.7 for Virginia - a gap of 16.1 points.
Q Where does $100 go further - Arkansas or Virginia?
$100 goes further in Arkansas. After BEA regional price adjustments, $100 is worth about $113.40 in Arkansas, compared with $104.84 in Virginia.
Q Which state is bigger - Arkansas or Virginia?
Arkansas is larger, covering 53,179 sq mi compared with 42,775 sq mi for Virginia - roughly 1.2x the size.
Q Does Arkansas or Virginia have more people?
Virginia has the larger population at 8,631,393, compared with 3,011,524 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has higher household income - Arkansas or Virginia?
Virginia has the higher median household income at $87,249, versus $52,123 in Arkansas.
Q Which state has lower income taxes - Arkansas or Virginia?
Arkansas has the lower state income tax top rate at 4.40%, compared with 5.75% in Virginia.
Q Is housing cheaper in Arkansas or Virginia?
Homes are cheaper in Arkansas, where the median home value is $154,200, versus $367,900 in Virginia.
Q Which state is more densely populated - Arkansas or Virginia?
Virginia is more densely populated at 201.8 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.