Quality of life comparison
If you lived in Arkansas instead of Tennessee, you would:
Economy
make 21.4% less money
Tennessee has a GDP per capita of $60,177 as of 2024, while in Arkansas, the GDP per capita is $47,319 as of 2024.
be 23.5% more likely to be unemployed
In Tennessee, 3.4% of adults are unemployed as of 2025. In Arkansas, that number is 4.2% as of 2025.
be 17.1% more likely to live below the poverty line
In Tennessee, 12.9% live below the poverty line as of 2023. In Arkansas, however, that number is 15.1% as of 2023.
Housing & Income
pay 31.7% less for a home
The median home value in Tennessee is $256,800 as of 2023, compared to $175,300 in Arkansas as of 2023.
pay 18.5% less in rent
The median monthly gross rent in Tennessee is $1,122 as of 2023, while in Arkansas, it is $914 as of 2023.
earn 12.4% less money
The median household income in Tennessee is $67,097 as of 2023, while in Arkansas, it is $58,773 as of 2023.
Lifestyle
commute 3.4 minutes less
The average one-way commute in Tennessee takes 25.7 minutes as of 2023. In Arkansas, it takes 22.3 minutes as of 2023.
live in an area that is 66.0% less densely populated
Tennessee has a population density of 67.0 people per sq km as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 22.8 people per sq km as of 2023.
be 10.1% more likely to be physically inactive
In Tennessee, 27.6% of adults are physically inactive as of 2022. In Arkansas, that number is 30.4% as of 2022.
be 17.5% less likely to have a bachelor's degree
In Tennessee, 20.0% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher as of 2023. In Arkansas, that number is 16.5% as of 2023.
be 37.6% more likely to be food insecure
In Tennessee, 10.9% 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.
