Moving to Arkansas from Rhode Island

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Rhode Island to Arkansas, you would find that Arkansas is 18.0% cheaper than Rhode Island. A $75,000 salary in Rhode Island would need to be roughly $53,629 in Arkansas to maintain the same lifestyle. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Little Rock averages 72°F vs 61°F in Providence, making it significantly warmer.

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Rhode Island to Arkansas.

What does your salary buy?

$75,000 $53,629

To maintain the same standard of living in Arkansas

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 12.2% less

Groceries

pay 28.9% less

Transportation

pay 32.7% less

Housing

pay 24.9% less

Childcare

pay 29.2% less

Entertainment and Sports

pay 18.5% 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 Rhode Island to Arkansas.

Is it safe?

Violent crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

RI
165
AR
610
Property crime rate FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, 2023

incidents per 100,000 people per year

RI
1102
AR
2195

Rhode Island 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

RI
4.2%
AR
8.6%
Adult obesity rate Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), 2022

share of adults with obesity

RI
31.6%
AR
38.3%

Rhode Island 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

RI
$368,800
AR
$175,300
Median rent US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

typical monthly gross rent

RI
$1,273
AR
$914

Arkansas performs significantly better than Rhode Island 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

RI
90.8%
AR
84.9%
Average commute US Census Bureau (American Community Survey), 2023

minutes each way to work

RI
26 min
AR
22 min

Rhode Island 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

RI
4.4%
AR
4.2%
GDP per capita Bureau of Economic Analysis, 2024

a broad measure of economic output per person

RI
$56,938
AR
$47,319

Rhode Island 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

RI
78.2 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

RI
26%
AR
16%

Rhode Island 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.

Providence Rain: 47.2 in/yr (1198 mm)
61° / 42°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Providence Little Rock
Jan–Mar 42°/25°F (5°/-4°C) 56°/38°F (13°/3°C)
Apr–Jun 68°/49°F (20°/9°C) 80°/61°F (27°/16°C)
Jul–Sep 79°/61°F (26°/16°C) 89°/70°F (32°/21°C)
Oct–Dec 53°/35°F (12°/2°C) 62°/44°F (17°/7°C)
View all months
Month Providence Little Rock
Jan 37°/21°F (3.0°/-6.1°C) 49°/33°F (9.7°/0.4°C)
Feb 40°/24°F (4.6°/-4.7°C) 54°/36°F (12.4°/2.4°C)
Mar 48°/30°F (8.8°/-1.1°C) 64°/44°F (17.6°/6.8°C)
Apr 59°/40°F (14.8°/4.2°C) 73°/53°F (22.7°/11.6°C)
May 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.2°C) 80°/62°F (26.8°/16.4°C)
Jun 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.7°C) 88°/69°F (31.2°/20.7°C)
Jul 83°/64°F (28.2°/17.9°C) 92°/73°F (33.4°/22.7°C)
Aug 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.3°C) 92°/72°F (33.3°/22.2°C)
Sep 74°/55°F (23.4°/12.9°C) 84°/65°F (29.1°/18.1°C)
Oct 63°/44°F (17.4°/6.6°C) 73°/54°F (23.0°/12.3°C)
Nov 53°/36°F (11.8°/2.1°C) 62°/44°F (16.5°/6.6°C)
Dec 42°/26°F (5.7°/-3.2°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 Rhode Island?

Yes — Arkansas is on average about 28% cheaper than Rhode Island. 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 $13,407 in Arkansas on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (movers, a truck rental, and a rental deposit).

Is Arkansas safe?

Rhode Island performs better than Arkansas across all safety metrics.

How is healthcare in Arkansas compared to Rhode Island?

Rhode Island performs better than Arkansas across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Arkansas compared to Rhode Island?

The average high temperature in Little Rock is 72°F, compared to 61°F in Providence. Little Rock receives around 50.0 in of rainfall per year, while Providence gets 47.2 in.

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