Moving to Arkansas from New Jersey

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What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from New Jersey to Arkansas — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from New Jersey to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 23.7% cheaper than New Jersey. A $75,000 salary in New Jersey would need to be roughly $52,993 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Little Rock averages 72°F vs 63°F in Trenton, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from New Jersey to Arkansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $52,993

To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas

Calculate with your salary →

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 8.1% less

Groceries

pay 29.9% less

Transportation

pay 31.0% less

Housing

pay 16.0% less

Childcare

pay 38.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 22.6% 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

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from New Jersey to Arkansas.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NJ
215
AR
610
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

NJ
1481
AR
2195

New Jersey 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

NJ
7.1%
AR
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

NJ
30.0%
AR
38.3%

New Jersey 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

NJ
$427,600
AR
$175,300
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

NJ
$1,653
AR
$914

Arkansas performs significantly better than New Jersey across all what about housing? metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

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

share of households with internet

NJ
91.9%
AR
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

NJ
31 min
AR
22 min

New Jersey 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

NJ
4.5%
AR
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

NJ
$70,788
AR
$47,319

New Jersey generally does better on employment & economy, though Arkansas leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy OECD Regional Demography, 2020

average years of life at birth

NJ
77.5 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

NJ
29%
AR
16%

New Jersey 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.

Trenton Rain: 46.5 in/yr (1180 mm)
63° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Trenton Little Rock
Jan–Mar 44°/27°F (7°/-3°C) 56°/38°F (13°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/51°F (22°/10°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 82°/62°F (28°/17°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/36°F (12°/2°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Trenton Little Rock
Jan 39°/23°F (3.9°/-4.9°C) 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C)
Feb 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.4°C) 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C)
Mar 51°/32°F (10.5°/-0.1°C) 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C)
Apr 61°/41°F (16.3°/5.0°C) 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C)
May 72°/51°F (22.1°/10.3°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C)
Jun 81°/60°F (27.1°/15.7°C) 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C)
Jul 85°/66°F (29.6°/18.9°C) 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug 84°/64°F (28.7°/17.9°C) 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C)
Sep 76°/56°F (24.5°/13.6°C) 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C)
Oct 65°/44°F (18.3°/6.8°C) 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C)
Nov 54°/37°F (12.5°/2.7°C) 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C)
Dec 43°/28°F (6.2°/-2.4°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 New Jersey?

Yes — Arkansas is on average about 29% cheaper than New Jersey. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to Arkansas?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $13,248 in Arkansas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Arkansas safe?

New Jersey performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to New Jersey?

New Jersey performs better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Arkansas compared to New Jersey?

The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 63°F in Trenton. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Trenton gets 46.5 in.

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