Take A Close Look So You Won’t Regret Moving To Arkansas
While Arkansas appeals to many with its scenic landscapes and affordable cost of living, a surprising number of people hate living in Arkansas.
From a lack of city-like amenities to intense summer heat, I will examine why some people regret moving to Arkansas.
Thus, if living in Arkansas is on your mind, read this first.
Why People Hate Living In Arkansas
What is Arkansas known for? Well, here are some not-so-great things about the state:
- Low incomes
- High sales taxes
- High poverty rate
- High crime rates
- Conservative viewpoints
- Inconvenient access to healthcare
- Poor healthcare outcomes
- Obesity
- Rural living
- Limited city-like amenities
- Dry counties
- Subpar public schools
- Limited public transportation
- Poor road conditions
- Summer heat and humidity
- Lots of pollen
- Mild winters
- Risk of tornados
- Dangerous mosquitoes
- Pesky critters
Next, let’s review each of these points. After we finish, you will better understand why some people regret moving to Arkansas and prefer living in nearby states like Missouri.
Disclosure: At no cost to you, I may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
1. Low Incomes
U.S. News and World Report ranks the state near the bottom of all states for household income. So, don’t move to Arkansas and expect to be a high earner.
2. High Sales Taxes
Arkansas is among the five states with the highest sales tax burden. Residents pay more than 9% sales tax on their purchases.
Source: Tax Foundation
3. High Poverty Rate
Arkansas has one of the top 10 worst poverty rates of all states in the country at more than 15%. Thus, there are many poor people living in Arkansas.
Source: Wikipedia
4. High Crime Rates
The state has one of the country’s highest violent crime rates per 100,000 residents. Furthermore, Arkansas has a large number of gun owners in its population.
Source: Southwest Journal
Property crime is the same story. U.S. News also shows the state near the bottom of all states for the highest property crime per 100,000 residents.
As a result, becoming a crime victim is one of the dangers of living in Arkansas.
5. Conservative Viewpoints
The majority of residents have conservative religious and political views. There is nothing wrong with their perspectives. However, more progressive and liberal types may have difficulty finding like-minded people to hang out with.
6. Inconvenient Access To Healthcare
Depending on your location, access to hospitals and doctors can be many miles away.
7. Poor Healthcare Outcomes
WalletHub’s recent study indicates Arkansas ranks near the bottom of all states for healthcare outcomes. Mortality rates, life expectancy, and incidence of chronic diseases factored into the poor showing.
8. Obesity
You can trace the state’s poor healthcare outcomes to the obesity rate. Statistics show that nearly 40% of the population is obese, partly from consuming too much high-fat comfort food.
Source: World Population Review
9. Rural Living
Much of the state is a collection of small towns in a rural setting. Move to Little Rock or northwest Arkansas if a more urban environment suits your lifestyle interests.
10. Limited City-Like Amenities
For anyone looking for bright city lights, nightlife, fine dining, and Broadway-style entertainment, you will find little of that in Arkansas.
11. Dry Counties
Some people hate living in Arkansas because of the many dry counties. There are nearly 40%, one of the highest percentages in the U.S.
Thus, there’s no legal sale of alcohol in bars or stores, and only licensed restaurants can serve alcoholic beverages.
12. Subpar Public Schools
Another study by U.S. News and World Report ranks Arkansas in the bottom third of all states for the quality of its public school system. College readiness, math scores, and reading scores are especially low.
13. Limited Public Transportation
Home Area ranks Arkansas at the bottom for the percentage of the population that uses public transportation because of the limited options.
14. Poor Road Conditions
The state spends far less on maintaining its roadway infrastructure than other states. As a result, Arkansas’s roads have above-average roughness, reflecting the state’s limited investment in transportation infrastructure.
Source: Money Geek
15. Summer Heat And Humidity
The heat and humidity are intense here, peaking in July, August, and early September. 90-degree temperatures combine with moisture-rich air to make it feel like 100 degrees and sometimes more.
16. Lots Of Pollen
Pollen results from the seasonal rains and the lush, forested landscape. Thus, the air quality is challenging at times for seasonal allergy sufferers.
During the worst conditions, everything you leave outdoors gets coated in a sticky yellow-green substance from the trees.
17. Mild Winters
Mild winters may make Arkansas a nice place to retire. However, anyone who enjoys a clearly defined change of seasons and a good chance of snow at Christmas won’t enjoy Arkansas living.
Furthermore, affected areas shut down whenever and wherever it snows or sleets.
18. Risk Of Tornados
As part of Tornado Alley, Arkansas experiences frequent tornado activity during the spring and fall storm seasons. With nearly 40 tornados spotted annually, residents must insure their homes and take shelter immediately.
19. Dangerous Mosquitoes
The state’s vast green spaces, abundant rain, and high humidity are ideal mosquito breeding conditions. These annoying biting insects can easily ruin outdoor activities. In some cases, they transmit dangerous diseases like West Nile virus.
20. Pesky Critters
You might not enjoy Arkansas living; however, many of mother nature’s creatures seem to love it in “The Natural State.”
Fortunately, your chance of a dangerous encounter is minimal. But it’s wise to beware of venomous snakes, spiders, alligators, ticks, wild boars, and black bears.
Finally, watch for deer when driving. Otherwise, the deer are harmless unless you have a garden for these animals to munch on.
Okay. That’s all I have for today. So, please allow me to wrap up with some final thoughts.
Why People Hate Living In Arkansas – Wrap Up
Now you know why some people regret moving to Arkansas. So before you pack up, move, and hate Arkansas living, carefully examine your lifestyle priorities.
Author Bio: Tom Scott founded the consulting and coaching firm Dividends Diversify, LLC. He leverages his expertise and decades of experience in goal setting, relocation assistance, and investing for long-term wealth to help clients reach their full potential.