Moving to Washington from Arkansas
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Arkansas to Washington — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Arkansas to Washington, you would find that Washington is 26.2% more expensive than Arkansas. A $75,000 salary in Arkansas would need to be roughly $95,353 in Washington to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Olympia averages 60°F vs 72°F in Little Rock, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
What to expect for your wallet after moving from Arkansas to Washington.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $95,353
To maintain the same standard of living in Washington
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 8.9% more
Groceries
pay 25.3% more
Transportation
pay 46.5% more
Housing
pay 26.3% more
Childcare
pay 45.1% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 24.7% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Arkansas to Washington.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Arkansas generally does better on safety, though Washington leads in violent crime rate.
How's the healthcare?
share of people without health insurance
share of adults with obesity
share of adults with diabetes
share of adults who smoke
Washington performs significantly better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Arkansas performs better than Washington across all what about housing? metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Arkansas generally does better on infrastructure, though Washington leads in internet access.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
typical annual income of a household
share of people below the poverty line
Washington generally does better on employment & economy, though Arkansas leads in unemployment rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Washington performs significantly better than Arkansas across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Little Rock | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 56°/38°F (13°/3°C) | 50°/34°F (10°/1°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) | 65°/43°F (18°/6°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) | 76°/49°F (24°/10°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) | 51°/36°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Little Rock | Olympia |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C) | 46°/34°F (7.7°/0.9°C) |
| Feb | 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C) | 49°/33°F (9.6°/0.4°C) |
| Mar | 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C) | 54°/35°F (12.2°/1.7°C) |
| Apr | 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C) | 59°/38°F (14.9°/3.2°C) |
| May | 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C) | 65°/43°F (18.5°/6.2°C) |
| Jun | 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C) | 71°/48°F (21.4°/8.7°C) |
| Jul | 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C) | 77°/51°F (24.9°/10.4°C) |
| Aug | 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C) | 78°/51°F (25.4°/10.3°C) |
| Sep | 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C) | 72°/46°F (22.1°/7.8°C) |
| Oct | 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C) | 60°/40°F (15.7°/4.7°C) |
| Nov | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C) | 50°/36°F (10.1°/2.4°C) |
| Dec | 51°/35°F (10.7°/1.7°C) | 44°/33°F (6.8°/0.3°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Washington than Arkansas?
No — Washington is on average about 27% more expensive than Arkansas. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Washington?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $23,838 in Washington on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).
Is Washington safe?
Arkansas generally does better on safety, though Washington leads in violent crime rate.
How is healthcare in Washington compared to Arkansas?
Washington performs significantly better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Washington compared to Arkansas?
The average high temperature in Olympia is 60°F, compared to 72°F in Little Rock. Olympia receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Little Rock gets 50.0 in.
