Moving to Arkansas from Oregon

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Oregon to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 6.2% cheaper than Oregon. A $75,000 salary in Oregon would need to be roughly $66,733 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Oregon to Arkansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $66,733

To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 1.2% less

Groceries

pay 10.7% less

Transportation

pay 23.9% less

Housing

pay 7.9% less

Childcare

pay 9.1% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 8.5% 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 Oregon to Arkansas.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
323
AR
610
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

OR
2566
AR
2195

Oregon generally does better on safety, though Arkansas leads in property crime rate.

How's the healthcare?

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

share of people without health insurance

OR
6.1%
AR
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

OR
31.9%
AR
38.3%

Oregon 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

OR
$454,200
AR
$175,300
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

OR
$1,450
AR
$914

Arkansas performs significantly better than Oregon 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

OR
91.8%
AR
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

OR
23 min
AR
22 min

Oregon 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

OR
5.1%
AR
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

OR
$61,622
AR
$47,319

Oregon 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

OR
78.8 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

OR
26%
AR
16%

Oregon 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.

Salem Rain: 39.7 in/yr (1008 mm)
64° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Salem Little Rock
Jan–Mar 52°/36°F (11°/2°C) 56°/38°F (13°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/45°F (20°/7°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 80°/51°F (27°/11°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 54°/38°F (12°/3°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Salem Little Rock
Jan 48°/35°F (8.7°/1.5°C) 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C)
Feb 52°/35°F (10.9°/1.4°C) 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C)
Mar 56°/37°F (13.6°/2.9°C) 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C)
Apr 61°/40°F (16.2°/4.2°C) 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C)
May 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.1°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C)
Jun 74°/49°F (23.3°/9.6°C) 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C)
Jul 82°/53°F (27.8°/11.7°C) 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug 82°/53°F (28.0°/11.6°C) 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C)
Sep 77°/48°F (24.9°/9.1°C) 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C)
Oct 64°/42°F (17.8°/5.7°C) 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C)
Nov 53°/38°F (11.4°/3.6°C) 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C)
Dec 46°/34°F (7.9°/1.1°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 Oregon?

Yes — Arkansas is on average about 11% cheaper than Oregon. 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 $16,683 in Arkansas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Arkansas safe?

Oregon generally does better on safety, though Arkansas leads in property crime rate.

How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to Oregon?

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

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

The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 64°F in Salem. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Salem gets 39.7 in.

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