Moving to Arkansas from Iowa
What to Expect
Considering a move from Iowa to Arkansas? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Iowa to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 1.1% cheaper than Iowa. A $75,000 salary in Iowa would need to be roughly $74,960 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Little Rock averages 72°F vs 60°F in Des Moines, making it significantly warmer.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Iowa and Arkansas.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → $74,960
To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 5.7% more
Groceries
pay 2.2% less
Transportation
pay 5.0% less
Housing
pay 10.8% more
Childcare
pay 3.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 7.9% less
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
The numbers behind daily life in Arkansas compared to Iowa.
Is it safe?
incidents per 100,000 people per year
incidents per 100,000 people per year
Iowa performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.
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
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arkansas leads in adult obesity rate.
What about housing?
typical price of a home
typical monthly gross rent
share of homes that are owner-occupied
Arkansas generally does better on what about housing?, though Iowa leads in homeownership rate.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
minutes each way to work
Iowa performs better than Arkansas across all infrastructure metrics.
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
Iowa performs better than Arkansas across all employment & economy metrics.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
share of adults with a 4-year college degree
Iowa performs 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 | Des Moines | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 39°/21°F (4°/-6°C) | 56°/38°F (13°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/52°F (22°/11°C) | 80°/61°F (27°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) | 89°/70°F (32°/21°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 62°/44°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Des Moines | Little Rock |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/14°F (-0.6°/-9.8°C) | 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C) |
| Feb | 36°/19°F (2.3°/-7.3°C) | 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C) |
| Mar | 49°/30°F (9.4°/-1.3°C) | 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C) |
| Apr | 62°/41°F (16.8°/5.1°C) | 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C) |
| May | 72°/52°F (22.4°/11.2°C) | 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C) |
| Jun | 82°/62°F (27.6°/16.7°C) | 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C) |
| Jul | 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.3°C) | 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C) |
| Aug | 84°/65°F (28.8°/18.2°C) | 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C) |
| Sep | 76°/55°F (24.5°/12.9°C) | 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C) |
| Oct | 63°/43°F (17.3°/6.1°C) | 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.8°C) | 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C) |
| Dec | 34°/18°F (1.1°/-7.8°C) | 51°/35°F (10.7°/1.7°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Arkansas than Iowa?
Arkansas and Iowa are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to Arkansas?
Budget about $18,740 for 3 months in Arkansas (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit.
Is Arkansas safe?
Iowa performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.
How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to Iowa?
Iowa generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Arkansas leads in adult obesity rate.
What's the weather like in Arkansas compared to Iowa?
The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 60°F in Des Moines. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Des Moines gets 36.0 in.
