Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Arkansas instead of Pennsylvania, you would:
Health
live 3.0 years less
In Pennsylvania, the average life expectancy is 77 years (76 years for men, 81 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 11.3% more likely to be obese
In Pennsylvania, 34.4% of adults are obese as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 38.3% of people as of 2022.
be 24.3% more likely to have diabetes
In Pennsylvania, 10.3% of adults have diabetes as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 12.8% as of 2022.
Economy
make 23.1% less money
Pennsylvania has a GDP per capita of $61,506 as of 2024, while in Arkansas, the GDP per capita is $47,319 as of 2024.
be 13.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Pennsylvania, 3.7% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Arkansas, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 33.6% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Pennsylvania, 11.3% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Arkansas, however, that number is 15.1% as of 2023.
Safety
be 2.3 times more likely to be a victim of violent crime
Pennsylvania has a violent crime rate of 264 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 610 per 100,000 as of 2023.
be 40.1% more likely to be a victim of property crime
Pennsylvania has a property crime rate of 1,567 per 100,000 people as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 2,195 per 100,000 as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 27.1% less for a home
The median home value in Pennsylvania is $240,500 as of 2023, compared to $175,300 in Arkansas as of 2023.
pay 21.3% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Pennsylvania is $1,162 as of 2023, while in Arkansas, it is $914 as of 2023.
earn 22.7% less money
The median household income in Pennsylvania is $76,081 as of 2023, while in Arkansas, it is $58,773 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 4.3 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Pennsylvania takes 26.6 minutes as of 2023. In Arkansas, it takes 22.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 79.7% less densely populated
Pennsylvania has a population density of 112.2 people per sq km as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 22.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 56.4% more likely to be uninsured
In Pennsylvania, 5.5% of the population is without health insurance as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 8.6% as of 2023.
be 14.9% more likely to smoke
In Pennsylvania, 16.8% of adults smoke as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 19.3% as of 2022.
be 29.4% more likely to be physically inactive
In Pennsylvania, 23.5% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 30.4% as of 2022.
live among residents who are 2.5 years older on average
The median age in Pennsylvania is 40.9 years as of 2023. In Arkansas, the median age is 38.4 years as of 2023.
be 31.8% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Pennsylvania, 24.2% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 16.5% as of 2023.
be 61.3% more likely to be food insecure
In Pennsylvania, 9.3% 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.
