Everyone wants a bit of a blissful breeze or a scoop of sunny sanctuary when looking for a place to live in Arkansas.
The more sun, the more you can go outside. The more you go outside, the more you’ll feel at peace. The more you’ll feel at peace, the more you’ll enjoy where you live.
So it makes sense to try and find the places with the best weather in Arkansas. We used Saturday Night Science to compare the number of sunny days, total precipitation, and the deviation from the ideal 70-degree weather for 39 places in Arkansas over 10,000 people.
Grab your shades and put away your raincoat as we look at the cities with the best weather in Arkansas.
299.8 sunny days · 72.4 degree average high
Located in
Phillips County, Arkansas
Helena-West Helena is the county seat of and the largest city within Phillips County, Arkansas, United States. The current city was consolidated, effective January 1, 2006, from the two Arkansas cities of Helena and West Helena. Helena is sited on lowlands between the Mississippi River and the eastern side of Crowley’s Ridge. West Helena is located on the western side of Crowley’s Ridge, a geographic anomaly in the typically flat Arkansas Delta. The Helena Bridge, one of Arkansas’ four Mississippi River bridges, carries U.S. Route 49 across to Mississippi. The combined population of the two cities was 15,012 at the 2000 census and at the 2010 census, the official population was 12,282.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
296.1 sunny days · 72.2 degree average high
Located in
Lonoke County, Arkansas
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
295.2 sunny days · 71.2 degree average high
Forrest City is a city in St. Francis County, Arkansas, United States, and the county seat. It was named for General Nathan Bedford Forrest, who used the location as a campsite for a construction crew completing a railroad between Memphis and Little Rock, shortly after the Civil War. The population was 15,371 at the 2010 census, an increase from 14,774 in 2000. The city refers to itself as the “Jewel of the Delta”.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
294.4 sunny days · 70.5 degree average high
Located in
Craighead County, Arkansas
Jonesboro is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city was 71,551. A college town, home of the Arkansas State Red Wolves, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the Arkansas Delta; it is the fifth-most populous city in the state.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
299.1 sunny days · 75.0 degree average high
Located in
Miller County, Arkansas
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
296.5 sunny days · 72.2 degree average high
Located in
Faulkner County, Arkansas
Conway is a city in the American state of Arkansas and the county seat of Faulkner County, located in the state’s most populous Metropolitan Statistical Area, Central Arkansas. Although sometimes considered a suburb of Little Rock, Conway is unique in that the majority of its residents do not commute out of the city to work. The city also serves as a regional shopping, educational, work, healthcare, sports, and cultural hub for Faulkner County and surrounding areas. Conway’s growth can be attributed to its jobs in technology and higher education with its largest employers being Acxiom, the University of Central Arkansas, Hewlett Packard, Hendrix College, Insight Enterprises, and many technology start up companies. Conway is home to three post-secondary educational institutions, earning it the nickname “The City of Colleges”.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
293.3 sunny days · 71.5 degree average high
Located in
White County, Arkansas
Searcy is the largest city and county seat of White County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2014 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 23,768. It is the principal city of the Searcy, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of White County. The city takes its name from Richard Searcy, a judge for the Superior Court of the Arkansas Territory. A college town, Searcy is the home of Harding University.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
296.0 sunny days · 74.9 degree average high
Located in
Columbia County, Arkansas
Magnolia is a city in Columbia County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 11,577. The city is the county seat of Columbia County.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
290.3 sunny days · 70.4 degree average high
Located in
Mississippi County, Arkansas
Blytheville is the largest city in Mississippi County, Arkansas, United States. Blytheville is approximately 60 miles north of West Memphis. The population was 18,272 at the 2000 census.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
293.7 sunny days · 73.0 degree average high
Located in
Jefferson County, Arkansas
Pine Bluff is the tenth-largest city in the state of Arkansas and the county seat of Jefferson County. It is the principal city of the Pine Bluff Metropolitan Statistical Area and part of the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Pine Bluff Combined Statistical Area. The population of the city was 49,083 in the 2010 Census with 2016 estmates showing a decline to 43,841.
Data | Crime | Cost of living | Movers
The receipts
Compare the top ten
Pick a metric. The bars rescale. The red line is Arkansas’s statewide median.
On the map
Where Arkansas’s best weather is
Saturday Night Science
How We Determined The Cities In Arkansas With The Best Weather
To rank the most fair weather cities in Arkansas, we used Saturday Night Science and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) database, to see which cities in the Natural State get the best weather.
We used the following criteria to find the best weather:
- Number of sunny days
- Highest average low
- Average high deviation from 70 degrees
- Least amount of rain
- Least amount of snow
We ranked each city of over 10,000 people in Arkansas from best to worst on each criterion. We then averaged each ranking into a weather quality index. The city with the best index, Helena-West Helena, was anointed the city with the best weather in Arkansas.
Before we get too far, here are the annual precipitation rates for major cities: Little Rock (50.7 inches), Fort Smith (47.8 inches), and Fayetteville (49.1 inches).
The cities with the best weather in Arkansas are Helena-West Helena, Cabot, Forrest City, Jonesboro, Texarkana, Conway, Searcy, Magnolia, Blytheville, and Pine Bluff.
There’s a complete chart at the bottom.
The full plate
Detailed List Of Places With The Best Weather In Arkansas
Click any column to sort. Search by city name.
| Rank | City | Population | Sunny Days | Avg. High | Precipitation (Inches) | Snow (Inches) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Helena-West Helena | 11,546 | 299.8 | 72.4 | 51.5 | 1.4 |
| 2 | Cabot | 25,102 | 296.1 | 72.2 | 49.9 | 3.3 |
| 3 | Forrest City | 14,999 | 295.2 | 71.2 | 50.9 | 2.8 |
| 4 | Jonesboro | 71,576 | 294.4 | 70.5 | 48.3 | 3.8 |
| 5 | Texarkana | 30,127 | 299.1 | 75.0 | 51.0 | 1.7 |
| 6 | Conway | 63,555 | 296.5 | 72.2 | 49.4 | 3.8 |
| 7 | Searcy | 23,782 | 293.3 | 71.5 | 49.9 | 2.3 |
| 8 | Magnolia | 11,690 | 296.0 | 74.9 | 52.7 | 1.5 |
| 9 | Blytheville | 15,090 | 290.3 | 70.4 | 49.4 | 2.5 |
| 10 | Pine Bluff | 46,228 | 293.7 | 73.0 | 51.6 | 2.3 |
| 11 | Fort Smith | 87,603 | 299.4 | 72.9 | 47.8 | 4.3 |
| 12 | Harrison | 13,131 | 294.8 | 69.2 | 45.3 | 7.8 |
| 13 | Batesville | 10,479 | 293.3 | 71.0 | 48.8 | 4.2 |
| 14 | Fayetteville | 79,037 | 296.0 | 68.7 | 49.1 | 6.6 |
| 15 | Springdale | 75,088 | 296.0 | 68.7 | 49.1 | 6.6 |
| 16 | Mountain Home | 12,309 | 293.2 | 69.7 | 46.3 | 8.6 |
| 17 | Paragould | 27,228 | 290.2 | 70.0 | 46.7 | 4.6 |
| 18 | Rogers | 60,384 | 295.6 | 68.7 | 47.0 | 10.4 |
| 19 | Bentonville | 40,368 | 295.6 | 68.7 | 47.0 | 10.4 |
| 20 | Siloam Springs | 15,832 | 295.6 | 68.7 | 47.0 | 10.4 |
| 21 | Centerton | 10,764 | 295.6 | 68.7 | 47.0 | 10.4 |
| 22 | Little Rock | 196,943 | 292.7 | 72.5 | 50.7 | 4.0 |
| 23 | North Little Rock | 65,538 | 292.7 | 72.5 | 50.7 | 4.0 |
| 24 | Sherwood | 30,210 | 292.7 | 72.5 | 50.7 | 4.0 |
| 25 | Jacksonville | 28,726 | 292.7 | 72.5 | 50.7 | 4.0 |
| 26 | Maumelle | 17,695 | 292.7 | 72.5 | 50.7 | 4.0 |
| 27 | Van Buren | 22,992 | 294.9 | 71.3 | 50.2 | 4.6 |
| 28 | West Memphis | 25,544 | 290.5 | 71.3 | 51.5 | 2.9 |
| 29 | Marion | 12,328 | 290.5 | 71.3 | 51.5 | 2.9 |
| 30 | Russellville | 28,738 | 293.8 | 71.0 | 51.1 | 4.4 |
| 31 | El Dorado | 18,480 | 293.2 | 75.0 | 54.4 | 1.0 |
| 32 | Arkadelphia | 10,721 | 294.3 | 74.0 | 53.7 | 2.1 |
| 33 | Camden | 11,683 | 292.9 | 74.6 | 53.4 | 1.4 |
| 34 | Hope | 10,001 | 293.2 | 74.0 | 53.1 | 2.4 |
| 35 | Benton | 32,725 | 290.7 | 73.1 | 52.9 | 3.7 |
| 36 | Bryant | 19,162 | 290.7 | 73.1 | 52.9 | 3.7 |
| 37 | Malvern | 10,770 | 291.3 | 73.3 | 54.1 | 2.3 |
| 38 | Hot Springs | 35,539 | 292.3 | 73.0 | 54.4 | 2.7 |
| 39 | Hot Springs Village | 13,477 | 292.3 | 73.0 | 54.4 | 2.7 |
Source: NOAA climate data. 39 Arkansas cities with more than 10,000 residents.
Summary
Summary: The Cities With The Best Weather In Arkansas For 2026
If you’re looking for the Arkansas cities with the most sunny days, the least rain and snow, and highs closest to a perfect 70 degrees, this is an accurate list.
The cities with the best weather in Arkansas are Helena-West Helena, Cabot, Forrest City, Jonesboro, Texarkana, Conway, Searcy, Magnolia, Blytheville, and Pine Bluff. Not sold on Arkansas? Take the two-minute Find Your Place quiz and see which state actually fits you.
Questions and answers
Best Weather In Arkansas FAQs
What city in Arkansas has the best weather?
Helena-West Helena has the best weather of any city in Arkansas for 2026, according to Saturday Night Science. Cabot and Forrest City are next.
What are the Arkansas cities with the best weather?
The best-weather cities in Arkansas are Helena-West Helena, Cabot, Forrest City, Jonesboro, Texarkana, Conway, Searcy, Magnolia, Blytheville, and Pine Bluff. We ranked all 39 cities with more than 10,000 residents.
How do you score weather?
Weather quality blends sunny days, rainfall, snowfall, and how close the average high sits to a perfect 70 degrees, using NOAA data. The city closest to that mix, Helena-West Helena, wins.
How much rain do Arkansas’s biggest cities get?
Little Rock averages 50.7 inches of precipitation a year, Fort Smith gets 47.8, and Fayetteville gets 49.1. The ranking rewards the cities that dodge most of it.
Which Arkansas city has the toughest weather?
Hot Springs Village ranks last for weather in Arkansas — more rough days, fewer perfect ones. The locals would probably tell you it builds character.
