Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Massachusetts instead of Arkansas, you would:
Health
live 5.2 years longer
In Arkansas, the average life expectancy is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020. In Massachusetts, that number is 79 years (78 years for men, 83 years for women) as of 2020.
be 24.8% less likely to be obese
In Arkansas, 38.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 28.8% of people as of 2022.
be 31.2% less likely to have diabetes
In Arkansas, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 8.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 85.7% more money
Arkansas has a GDP per capita of $47,319 as of 2024, while in Massachusetts, the GDP per capita is $87,892 as of 2024.
be 37.1% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Arkansas, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Massachusetts, however, that number is 9.5% as of 2023.
be 11.9% more likely to be unemployed
In Arkansas, 4.2% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Massachusetts, that number is 4.7% as of 2025.
Safety
be 49.6% less likely to be a victim of violent crime
Arkansas has a violent crime rate of 610 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 308 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 50.9% less likely to be a victim of property crime
Arkansas has a property crime rate of 2,195 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 1,077 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
earn 72.4% more money
The median household income in Arkansas is $58,773 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $101,341 as of 2023.
pay 3.0 times more for a home
The median home value in Arkansas is $175,300 as of 2023, compared to $525,800 in Massachusetts as of 2023.
pay 84.6% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Arkansas is $914 as of 2023, while in Massachusetts, it is $1,687 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 69.8% less likely to be uninsured
In Arkansas, 8.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 2.6% as of 2023.
be 36.8% less likely to smoke
In Arkansas, 19.3% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 12.2% as of 2022.
be 29.9% less likely to be physically inactive
In Arkansas, 30.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Massachusetts, that number is 21.3% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 1.6 years older on average
The median age in Arkansas is 38.4 years as of 2023. In Massachusetts, the median age is 40.0 years as of 2023.
be 95.2% more likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Arkansas, 16.5% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 32.2% as of 2023.
be 2.4 times more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Arkansas, 3.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2023.
be 47.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Arkansas, 15.0% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Massachusetts, that number is 7.9% as of 2021.
commute 7.0 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Arkansas takes 22.3 minutes as of 2023. In Massachusetts, it takes 29.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 15.3 times more densely populated
Arkansas has a population density of 22.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Massachusetts, that number is 348.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
The statistics above were calculated using the following data sources: Feeding America, OECD Regional Demography, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), Bureau of Labor Statistics, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), Bureau of Economic Analysis, FBI Uniform Crime Reporting.
