Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Tennessee instead of Arkansas, you would:
Economy
be 19.0% less likely to be unemployed
In Arkansas, 4.2% of the labor force is unemployed as of 2025. In Tennessee, that number is 3.4% as of 2025.
be 14.6% less likely to live below the poverty line
In Arkansas, 15.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Tennessee, however, that number is 12.9% as of 2023.
make 27.2% more money
Arkansas has a GDP per capita of $47,319 as of 2024, while in Tennessee, the GDP per capita is $60,177 as of 2024.
Housing & Income
earn 14.2% more money
The median household income in Arkansas is $58,773 as of 2023, while in Tennessee, it is $67,097 as of 2023.
pay 46.5% more for a home
The median home value in Arkansas is $175,300 as of 2023, compared to $256,800 in Tennessee as of 2023.
pay 22.8% more in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Arkansas is $914 as of 2023, while in Tennessee, it is $1,122 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
be 21.2% 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 Tennessee, that number is 20.0% as of 2023.
be 27.3% less likely to be food insecure
In Arkansas, 15.0% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Tennessee, that number is 10.9% as of 2021.
commute 3.4 minutes longer
The average one-way commute in Arkansas takes 22.3 minutes as of 2023. In Tennessee, it takes 25.7 minutes as of 2023.
be 10.5% more likely to be uninsured
In Arkansas, 8.6% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 9.5% as of 2023.
live in an area that is 2.9 times more densely populated
Arkansas has a population density of 22.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Tennessee, that number is 67.0 people per sq km as of 2023.
Sources: US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2023), Feeding America (2021). How we calculate this
