Before you decide to relocate to Arkansas, it’s important to research the exact cost of living around the state. And that’s what we’re going to help you do.
These are the places in Arkansas that cost a pretty penny — the most expensive cities in the state.
We used Saturday Night Science to compare the 2020-2024 American Community Survey on cost of living for the 68 places in Arkansas with more than 5,000 people.
After we saved up for months and could finally afford it, we landed on this list of the ten most expensive cities in Arkansas for 2026.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Arkansas For 2026
What’s the most expensive place to live in Arkansas? Well, HomeSnacks crunched the numbers and discovered that Cave Springs is the most expensive place to live in Arkansas.
Newport (the cheapest place to live in Arkansas) can show these guys how to live on a budget in the coming years. Read on for how these places had costs rise faster than inflation.
And if you already knew these places were expensive, check out some more reading about Arkansas and the most expensive cities in the country:
The 10 Most Expensive Places To Live In Arkansas For 2026
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The overall cost of living in Cave Springs is 114. The median income in Cave Springs comes in at $146,473 and the average home value is $570,143 for 2026.
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Population: 58,249
Cost Of Living Index: 106
Median Income: $112,792
Average Home Price: $488,112
Home Price To Income Ratio: 4.3x
More on Bentonville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Bentonville is 106. The median income in Bentonville comes in at $112,792 and the average home value is $488,112 for 2026.
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Population: 6,425
Cost Of Living Index: 102
Median Income: $85,603
Average Home Price: $508,471
Home Price To Income Ratio: 5.9x
More on Tontitown: Data | Movers
The overall cost of living in Tontitown is 102. The median income in Tontitown comes in at $85,603 and the average home value is $508,471 for 2026.
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Population: 99,319
Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $62,695
Average Home Price: $377,910
Home Price To Income Ratio: 6.0x
More on Fayetteville: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Fayetteville is 101. The median income in Fayetteville comes in at $62,695 and the average home value is $377,910 for 2026.
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Population: 19,373
Cost Of Living Index: 101
Median Income: $103,333
Average Home Price: $307,538
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Maumelle: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Maumelle is 101. The median income in Maumelle comes in at $103,333 and the average home value is $307,538 for 2026.
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Population: 21,920
Cost Of Living Index: 100
Median Income: $115,713
Average Home Price: $349,882
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Centerton: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Centerton is 100. The median income in Centerton comes in at $115,713 and the average home value is $349,882 for 2026.
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Population: 8,108
Cost Of Living Index: 100
Median Income: $95,521
Average Home Price: $348,117
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.6x
More on Pea Ridge: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Pea Ridge is 100. The median income in Pea Ridge comes in at $95,521 and the average home value is $348,117 for 2026.
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Population: 13,623
Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $78,330
Average Home Price: $238,641
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.0x
More on Marion: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Marion is 97. The median income in Marion comes in at $78,330 and the average home value is $238,641 for 2026.
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Population: 9,094
Cost Of Living Index: 97
Median Income: $90,469
Average Home Price: $333,516
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.7x
More on Farmington: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Farmington is 97. The median income in Farmington comes in at $90,469 and the average home value is $333,516 for 2026.
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Population: 203,436
Cost Of Living Index: 96
Median Income: $63,003
Average Home Price: $216,518
Home Price To Income Ratio: 3.4x
More on Little Rock: Data | Crime | Cost Of Living | Movers
The overall cost of living in Little Rock is 96. The median income in Little Rock comes in at $63,003 and the average home value is $216,518 for 2026.
Methodology: How We Determined The Most Expensive Places To Live In The Natural State For 2026
The two most important things to think about when it comes to being able to afford a city in Arkansas are:
- How much money do I make?
- How much do I have to spend to live there?
You need to understand your costs in the context of how much money you make.
For example, if the median household earns $100,000 and spends $40,000 on housing, it’s actually cheaper to live there than a place with a median income of $50,000 and housing costs of $21,000. You might spend more on housing, but you have more money overall to play with.
With that example in mind, we derived several statistics from the latest Census American Community Survey 2020-2024 around incomes and costs. They are:
- Overall Cost Of Living Index
- Median Home Price / Median Income (lower is better)
- Median Income / Median Rent (Higher is better)
- Median Home Price
You can then compare these metrics in each of the places in Arkansas to figure out which is the most expensive.
You are left with a “Cost of Living Index” by taking the average rank of each of these metrics for each city.
So we used that cost of living index to rank all of the 68 places in Arkansas that have more than 5,000 people.
The place with the highest cost of living in Arkansas according to the data is Cave Springs. We updated this article for 2026. This article is our eleventh time ranking the most expensive places to live in Arkansas.
Summary: Taking A Chunk Out Of Your Paycheck In Arkansas For 2026
Well, there you have it, the places in Arkansas that have the highest cost of living, with Cave Springs ranking as the most expensive city in the Natural State.
The most expensive cities in Arkansas are Cave Springs, Bentonville, Tontitown, Fayetteville, Maumelle, Centerton, Pea Ridge, Marion, Farmington, and Little Rock.
Here’s a look at the most affordable cities in Arkansas according to the data:
- Newport
- Berryville
- Camden
For more Arkansas reading, check out:
- Best Places To Live In Arkansas
- Cheapest Places To Live In Arkansas
- Most Dangerous Places in Arkansas
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Arkansas
- Safest Places In Arkansas
- Worst Places To Live In Arkansas
Most Expensive Cities In Arkansas
| Rank | City | Cost Of Living | Population | Median Income | Average Home Price | Home/Income Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cave Springs | 114 | 6,008 | $146,473 | $570,143 | 3.9x |
| 2 | Bentonville | 106 | 58,249 | $112,792 | $488,112 | 4.3x |
| 3 | Tontitown | 102 | 6,425 | $85,603 | $508,471 | 5.9x |
| 4 | Fayetteville | 101 | 99,319 | $62,695 | $377,910 | 6.0x |
| 5 | Maumelle | 101 | 19,373 | $103,333 | $307,538 | 3.0x |
| 6 | Centerton | 100 | 21,920 | $115,713 | $349,882 | 3.0x |
| 7 | Pea Ridge | 100 | 8,108 | $95,521 | $348,117 | 3.6x |
| 8 | Marion | 97 | 13,623 | $78,330 | $238,641 | 3.0x |
| 9 | Farmington | 97 | 9,094 | $90,469 | $333,516 | 3.7x |
| 10 | Little Rock | 96 | 203,436 | $63,003 | $216,518 | 3.4x |
| 11 | Conway | 96 | 67,642 | $63,004 | $244,315 | 3.9x |
| 12 | Rogers | 94 | 72,981 | $86,728 | $385,742 | 4.4x |
| 13 | Sherwood | 94 | 33,070 | $81,328 | $236,102 | 2.9x |
| 14 | Jonesboro | 93 | 80,137 | $55,424 | $222,893 | 4.0x |
| 15 | Prairie Grove | 93 | 7,798 | $70,701 | $317,576 | 4.5x |
| 16 | White Hall | 93 | 5,512 | $78,092 | $136,021 | 1.7x |
| 17 | Cabot | 92 | 26,960 | $75,000 | $247,084 | 3.3x |
| 18 | Bryant | 92 | 21,504 | $83,024 | $254,712 | 3.1x |
| 19 | Siloam Springs | 92 | 18,699 | $72,065 | $284,970 | 4.0x |
| 20 | Lowell | 92 | 10,849 | $95,527 | $360,677 | 3.8x |
| 21 | Greenbrier | 92 | 6,018 | $57,214 | $278,684 | 4.9x |
| 22 | Sheridan | 92 | 5,165 | $62,453 | $218,332 | 3.5x |
| 23 | Benton | 91 | 36,595 | $72,876 | $239,100 | 3.3x |
| 24 | Searcy | 91 | 23,340 | $52,170 | $216,679 | 4.2x |
| 25 | Mountain Home | 91 | 13,108 | $41,274 | $233,820 | 5.7x |
| 26 | Ward | 91 | 6,573 | $72,734 | $207,461 | 2.9x |
| 27 | Paragould | 90 | 30,215 | $56,980 | $191,096 | 3.4x |
| 28 | Texarkana | 90 | 29,177 | $45,835 | $167,818 | 3.7x |
| 29 | Beebe | 90 | 8,707 | $59,476 | $210,267 | 3.5x |
| 30 | Springdale | 89 | 88,160 | $69,787 | $338,447 | 4.8x |
| 31 | North Little Rock | 89 | 64,538 | $52,707 | $165,642 | 3.1x |
| 32 | Hot Springs | 89 | 37,920 | $47,760 | $243,825 | 5.1x |
| 33 | Jacksonville | 89 | 29,221 | $49,666 | $168,541 | 3.4x |
| 34 | Russellville | 89 | 29,162 | $50,877 | $212,078 | 4.2x |
| 35 | Greenwood | 89 | 9,616 | $66,844 | $238,464 | 3.6x |
| 36 | Wynne | 89 | 8,120 | $43,250 | $128,057 | 3.0x |
| 37 | Alma | 89 | 5,906 | $68,562 | $245,961 | 3.6x |
| 38 | Heber Springs | 88 | 7,161 | $50,636 | $248,324 | 4.9x |
| 39 | Morrilton | 88 | 7,080 | $47,572 | $163,946 | 3.4x |
| 40 | Arkadelphia | 87 | 10,099 | $48,657 | $183,375 | 3.8x |
| 41 | Fort Smith | 86 | 89,805 | $54,816 | $193,976 | 3.5x |
| 42 | Forrest City | 86 | 12,646 | $35,689 | $73,435 | 2.1x |
| 43 | Batesville | 86 | 11,445 | $51,856 | $176,298 | 3.4x |
| 44 | Barling | 86 | 5,007 | $54,387 | $193,771 | 3.6x |
| 45 | West Memphis | 85 | 23,929 | $42,674 | $131,756 | 3.1x |
| 46 | Van Buren | 85 | 23,763 | $61,149 | $204,826 | 3.3x |
| 47 | Harrison | 85 | 13,350 | $44,056 | $230,381 | 5.2x |
| 48 | Malvern | 85 | 10,953 | $46,250 | $142,161 | 3.1x |
| 49 | Hope | 85 | 8,671 | $37,500 | $113,807 | 3.0x |
| 50 | Osceola | 85 | 6,688 | $46,202 | $117,993 | 2.6x |
| 51 | De Queen | 85 | 6,058 | $52,522 | $171,114 | 3.3x |
| 52 | Blytheville | 84 | 12,790 | $47,865 | $96,160 | 2.0x |
| 53 | Magnolia | 84 | 10,894 | $56,127 | $145,078 | 2.6x |
| 54 | Clarksville | 84 | 9,526 | $37,373 | $186,109 | 5.0x |
| 55 | Monticello | 84 | 8,257 | $27,238 | $163,403 | 6.0x |
| 56 | El Dorado | 83 | 17,115 | $49,244 | $133,852 | 2.7x |
| 57 | Stuttgart | 83 | 7,903 | $49,399 | $118,229 | 2.4x |
| 58 | Mena | 83 | 5,582 | $47,428 | $192,538 | 4.1x |
| 59 | Walnut Ridge | 83 | 5,434 | $45,027 | $129,711 | 2.9x |
| 60 | Cherokee Village | 83 | 5,046 | $37,326 | $150,230 | 4.0x |
| 61 | Pine Bluff | 82 | 39,743 | $42,718 | $75,017 | 1.8x |
| 62 | Helena-West Helena | 82 | 8,935 | $36,019 | $86,457 | 2.4x |
| 63 | Pocahontas | 82 | 7,538 | $44,216 | $140,492 | 3.2x |
| 64 | Trumann | 82 | 7,410 | $38,881 | $131,844 | 3.4x |
| 65 | Warren | 82 | 5,353 | $36,788 | $101,650 | 2.8x |
| 66 | Camden | 81 | 10,307 | $49,361 | $105,164 | 2.1x |
| 67 | Berryville | 80 | 5,707 | $42,283 | $237,504 | 5.6x |
| 68 | Newport | 78 | 8,024 | $34,764 | $84,278 | 2.4x |