Posted on 02/22/2025 4:56:03 PM PST by Mama Shawna
I live in Washington state (yeah, I know, don’t start, been here all my life). The politics/crime/liberal insanity is about to the point hubby and I are seriously considering moving after 30+ years in our home. So, we looked up the lowest cost states to live in, and Arkansas is either #1 or #2, depending on the website. We started looking at real estate and are blown away at what you can get verses what the costs are in this state. I just wanted input from any Freepers who live in Arkansas about what it’s like during the summer/winter, any insider info on the people, politics, best places to live, what it’s like for building permits, etc. It would be a few years, but I’m curious as to what we could expect.
Also interested in soil conditions for gardening, any major crime problems (like the tweakers I deal with on an almost daily basis, homeless, etc).
Get vaccinated against “Arkancide.”
Ambient weather depends upon where you live. It is mostly good weather, hot in the summer, mild in the winter.
Start 20 miles out from downtown Atlanta, from there to the borders. You can choose city or country living.
Some very nice folks and areas.
I’m in Texas, but, have friends in AR.
Good luck with your research, and, potential move.
Bonus: Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be your Governor.
North and south Arkansas are VERY different geography wise and weather wise.
The Ozarks are north and west and are FAR more temperate than the flat south agricultural regions, or ANY part of Arkansas close to the Mississippi River.
South Arkansas in the summer would be miserable for someone who likes Washington state weather.
Start looking for example around Mountain View, then keep expanding out.
Also the area around the Buffalo river is worth checking out.
But just know that all parts Arkansas and the South will have days that are hot and humid. Inescapable.
Arkansas has beautiful areas and LOTS of available land.
Avoid Texarkana, HotSprings and Little.Rock. stay north of there, by a lot.
That was a plus for me!
Never move to a state till you spend a winter there.
Full disclosure- born and raised in CA, 20+ years in WA state, and 25 years in Hawaii.
Can’t stand the politics? Find a quiet hole to hide in like I did. Y’all can’t fix stupid, but you can work around it.
Diana, ping, what other gardening FReepers are in Arkansas? Pollard? Augie? I get mixed up on zones.
Mama, we have a great gardening thread you may want to be a part of. It’s all over the US, but we still learn a lot from each other.
Mountain Home, not Mountain View.
Knew folks who farmed in NE AR.
Salt of the Earth people.
BTTT!!
I am on the ping list of the garden thread. Just haven’t posted in quite a while.
I don’t currently live there but did for 4 years and My Brother has been there since 1980.
Avoid Little Rock/NLR aka Pulaski County due to Taxes and crime. Weather is Hot and Humid in Summer and can be brutal cold in Winter, Rains can be HEAVY, Tornadoes are fairly common.
Lots of Lakes/Rivers/Woods. NW corner is not bad area. SE corner is Duck and Rice lands. SW is Texarkana and Hot Springs. I never spent any time in the NE so got no input for there. Lots of Fishing/Hunting everywhere. The main employer is the State Government.
The roads are questionable here and there, Interstate Highways seem to be constantly under construction, an “improved” road is often 2”-3” gravel.
That’s getting harder to do here. The state is trying to implement a PER MILE tax of 2.6 cents per mile, with a 10% tax ON TOP OF THAT, along with one of the highest gas taxes in the country that you KNOW they will not repeal, even though they say they will. Right now they say it’s “optional”, but this IS Washington. They will go from reading your odometer when you renew your tabs to eventually requiring a GPS device, unless some serious reforms are made in our legislature. I just don’t see that happening here. Not to mention the idiotic “parents can’t tell their kids what to do after the age of 13” bullcrap bill they’re also trying to pass.
Ok, that’s terrific! Lots of knowledge over there.
Somebody from there should be able to help you regarding any gardening, etc. needs. I say etc, because the garden thread almost always encompasses a plethora of other offshoots. I’m sure you understand. ;)
Look at Hot Springs Village (not Hot Springs). It is a large (13,000 people) gated community bordering the Ouachita National Forest. Populated mostly by conservative, well-educated people. Homes start under 200k. Lake homes start around $350k and up. Townhouses start at around $130k. There’s almost zero crime, a low cost of living, low taxes, low insurance, four-season weather, and no traffic jams (only one stop light). Surrounded by 50 miles of wilderness forest to the north and west, it’s like living in an alpine village. We love it here.
Gardening is good, Weather pending. If out if the city permits are minimal.’
Don’t come and explain to us how you did things better in Wa. We don’t have a lot of services you were used to in the pnw because we don’t want to pay the taxes to provide them. Don’t call sheriff every time you hear gunfire, you will hear a lot of gunfire, people like to target shoot on their properties year round. There are a lot of ticks and chiggers in summer, be careful, some of the tick borne diseases are no joke. Even in the ozarks it is hot and humid in summer compared to pnw, make sure you get your electrolytes. People may be outwardly polite but it takes time to gain peoples trust.
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