Moving to Arkansas from Maryland

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What to Expect

Considering a move from Maryland to Arkansas? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Maryland to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 17.4% cheaper than Maryland. A $75,000 salary in Maryland would need to be roughly $58,196 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Maryland and Arkansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $58,196

To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 0.5% less

Groceries

pay 27.4% less

Transportation

pay 23.2% less

Housing

pay 7.2% less

Childcare

pay 40.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 14.4% less

See full cost of living breakdown

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 Maryland.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
420
AR
610
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

MD
2043
AR
2195

Maryland performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Uninsured rate US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of people without health insurance

MD
6.0%
AR
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

MD
33.4%
AR
38.3%

Maryland performs better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What about housing?

Median home value US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical price of a home

MD
$397,700
AR
$175,300
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

MD
$1,662
AR
$914

Arkansas generally does better on what about housing?, though Maryland leads in homeownership rate.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of households with internet

MD
91.6%
AR
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

MD
32 min
AR
22 min

Maryland generally does better on infrastructure, though Arkansas leads in average commute.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MD
3.7%
AR
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

MD
$69,127
AR
$47,319

Maryland performs better than Arkansas across all employment & economy metrics.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

MD
76.8 yrs
AR
73.8 yrs
Bachelor's degree or higher US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

share of adults with a 4-year college degree

MD
29%
AR
16%

Maryland 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.

Annapolis Rain: 47.3 in/yr (1201 mm)
68° / 50°F

Avg. annual high / low

Little Rock Rain: 50.0 in/yr (1271 mm)
72° / 53°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Annapolis Little Rock
Jan–Mar 50°/33°F (10°/0°C) 56°/38°F (13°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 77°/57°F (25°/14°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/69°F (30°/20°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 59°/42°F (15°/6°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Annapolis Little Rock
Jan 44°/29°F (6.9°/-1.6°C) 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C)
Feb 48°/31°F (9.0°/-0.5°C) 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C)
Mar 57°/38°F (13.7°/3.5°C) 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C)
Apr 68°/47°F (20.1°/8.6°C) 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C)
May 77°/57°F (25.0°/13.7°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C)
Jun 86°/67°F (29.8°/19.2°C) 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C)
Jul 89°/71°F (31.9°/21.9°C) 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.4°C) 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C)
Sep 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.6°C) 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C)
Oct 69°/52°F (20.7°/10.9°C) 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C)
Nov 59°/42°F (14.9°/5.3°C) 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C)
Dec 48°/33°F (9.1°/0.4°C) 51°/35°F (10.7°/1.7°C)

Data: National Weather Service National Weather Service

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Arkansas than Maryland?

On average Arkansas is about 22% less expensive than Maryland, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to Arkansas?

Budget about $14,549 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?

Maryland performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to Maryland?

Maryland performs better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Arkansas compared to Maryland?

The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 68°F in Annapolis. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Annapolis gets 47.3 in.

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