Quality of life comparison
If you lived in New Mexico instead of Arkansas, you would:
Health
be 15.9% less likely to be obese
In Arkansas, 38.3% of adults are obese as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 32.2% of people as of 2022.
be 15.6% less likely to have diabetes
In Arkansas, 12.8% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 10.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 18.4% more money
Arkansas has a GDP per capita of $47,319 as of 2024, while in New Mexico, the GDP per capita is $56,008 as of 2024.
be 17.2% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Arkansas, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In New Mexico, however, that number is 17.7% as of 2023.
Safety
be 22.1% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Arkansas has a violent crime rate of 610 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 745 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 30.8% more 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 New Mexico, that number is 2,872 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 32.5% more for a home
The median home value in Arkansas is $175,300 as of 2023, compared to $232,200 in New Mexico as of 2023.
pay 11.7% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Arkansas is $914 as of 2023, while in New Mexico, it is $1,021 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 15.0% less likely to smoke
In Arkansas, 19.3% of adults smoke as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 16.4% as of 2022.
be 22.4% less likely to be physically inactive
In Arkansas, 30.4% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In New Mexico, that number is 23.6% as of 2022.
live in an area that is 70.2% less densely populated
Arkansas has a population density of 22.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 6.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 24.8% 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 New Mexico, that number is 20.6% as of 2023.
be 54.5% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Arkansas, 3.3% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In New Mexico, that number is 5.1% as of 2023.
be 10.7% less likely to be food insecure
In Arkansas, 15.0% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In New Mexico, that number is 13.4% as of 2021.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (2023), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2023), Feeding America (2021). How we calculate this
