Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Arkansas instead of Missouri, you would:
Health
live 1.3 years less
In Missouri, the average life expectancy is 75 years (74 years for men, 80 years for women) as of 2020. In Arkansas, that number is 74 years (73 years for men, 78 years for women) as of 2020.
be 23.1% more likely to have diabetes
In Missouri, 10.4% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 16.0% less money
Missouri has a GDP per capita of $56,344 as of 2024, while in Arkansas, the GDP per capita is $47,319 as of 2024.
be 27.3% more likely to be unemployed
In Missouri, 3.3% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Arkansas, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 24.8% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Missouri, 12.1% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Arkansas, however, that number is 15.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 34.7% more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Missouri has a violent crime rate of 453 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 610 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 18.7% less for a home
The median home value in Missouri is $215,600 as of 2023, compared to $175,300 in Arkansas as of 2023.
earn 14.7% less money
The median household income in Missouri is $68,920 as of 2023, while in Arkansas, it is $58,773 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 1.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Missouri takes 23.7 minutes as of 2023. In Arkansas, it takes 22.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 34.5% less densely populated
Missouri has a population density of 34.8 people per sq km as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 22.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 57.1% more likely to have a foreign-born neighbor
In Missouri, 2.1% of the population was born outside the US as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 3.3% as of 2023.
be 22.6% more likely to be physically inactive
In Missouri, 24.8% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 30.4% as of 2022.
be 23.3% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Missouri, 21.5% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 16.5% as of 2023.
be 31.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Missouri, 11.4% of the population is food insecure as of 2021. In Arkansas, that number is 15.0% as of 2021.
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.
