Best Counties in Arkansas — 2026 Rankings
75 of 75 counties scored across 12 dimensions
75
75 scored
48/100
composite score
65.3/100
29—65.3
lowest to highest
State Overview
Understanding County Scores in Arkansas
Arkansas Scores Slightly Below the National Median
Arkansas earns a composite livability score of 47.9, placing it just under the national median of 50.0. While it sits in the lower half of national rankings, its 75 counties offer a wide variety of lifestyles for budget-conscious residents.
A National Leader in Affordability and Taxes
The state excels in fiscal metrics with a standout Tax Score of 82.0 and a Cost Score of 74.4. These numbers indicate that Arkansas remains one of the most affordable regions in the country for housing and daily expenses.
Economic and Health Metrics Present Challenges
Low scores in Income (20.2) and Health (29.3) act as the primary anchors on the state's overall ranking. These figures suggest that while the cost of living is low, residents often face limited earning potential and fewer healthcare resources compared to the national average.
Rural Northern Counties Lead the State
Sharp County takes the top spot with a composite score of 65.6, followed closely by Newton at 65.3 and Searcy at 64.2. These counties dominate because of their extreme affordability, with Searcy County posting a near-perfect Cost Score of 97.2.
The Ideal Choice for Budget-Minded Living
Arkansas is a strong fit for retirees or remote workers who prioritize low taxes and affordable land over local job market strength. Its high fiscal scores make it a haven for those looking to stretch their dollars further than almost anywhere else in the nation.
All County Rankings in Arkansas
Search, sort, and filter all 75 ranked counties
Showing 1–25 of 75 counties
| Rank | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montgomery County | 65.3 | 97.5 | 95.7 | 9.9 | 90.9 | 21 | 33.3 | 69.3 | 1 | 63 | 30 | 39.6 | |
| 2 | Newton County | 65.3 | 94.3 | 90.7 | 10 | 63.8 | 33.8 | 60.6 | 81.6 | 4.7 | 74.9 | 37.2 | 56.4 | |
| 3 | Searcy County | 64.6 | 91.5 | 96.8 | 5.2 | 64 | 30.1 | 60.1 | 72.3 | 10.5 | 58.7 | 43.8 | 44.4 | |
| 4 | Sharp County | 63.8 | 77.7 | 79.8 | 5.3 | 93.1 | 25.9 | 52.5 | 31.9 | 86 | 57.4 | 46.6 | 41.2 | |
| 5 | Pike County | 61.2 | 73.9 | 90.6 | 10.6 | 69.1 | 26.1 | 57.5 | 73.5 | 7.3 | 65 | 29.4 | 41.5 | |
| 6 | Stone County | 59 | 97.3 | 95.2 | 2.7 | 39 | 27.4 | 56.6 | 50.1 | 33.4 | 62.4 | 45.1 | 35.7 | |
| 7 | Van Buren County | 58.3 | 91.2 | 84.9 | 12.4 | 44.4 | 28.8 | 55.4 | 49.4 | 25.2 | 58.9 | 22.8 | 32.8 | |
| 8 | Madison County | 57.9 | 92.3 | 87.9 | 25.3 | 55.2 | 32.7 | 15.8 | 54.9 | 86 | 69.8 | 39.6 | 54.9 | |
| 9 | Calhoun County | 57.6 | 87.6 | 85 | 53.9 | 24.9 | 22.4 | 56.5 | 97.8 | 86 | 49.1 | 34.8 | ||
| 10 | Woodruff County | 57.5 | 76.6 | 93.8 | 8.8 | 38 | 28.9 | 50.8 | 57.7 | 86 | 53 | 41.3 | 47.3 | |
| 11 | Izard County | 57 | 76.3 | 94 | 10.9 | 36 | 33.7 | 52.3 | 46.9 | 86 | 57.1 | 46.2 | 47 | |
| 12 | Clay County | 56 | 84.5 | 88.1 | 14.4 | 41.8 | 28.7 | 44.8 | 28.4 | 86 | 63.6 | 42.5 | 40 | |
| 13 | Dallas County | 56 | 76.8 | 94.9 | 4.1 | 5 | 24.3 | 85.2 | 89.9 | 86 | 55.6 | 27.1 | ||
| 14 | Grant County | 55.7 | 79.1 | 72.7 | 65.6 | 35.9 | 46.1 | 29.1 | 84.3 | 86 | 54.7 | 23.6 | 23.8 | |
| 15 | Cleveland County | 55.4 | 85.4 | 91.9 | 20.9 | 18.6 | 27.9 | 50.1 | 90.6 | 86 | 50 | 32.3 | 23 | |
| 16 | Little River County | 55 | 84.3 | 89.5 | 18.2 | 41.3 | 34.5 | 38.3 | 56 | 23.8 | 47 | 36.7 | ||
| 17 | Perry County | 54.7 | 85.2 | 81.5 | 23 | 21.2 | 40.1 | 48 | 72 | 86 | 50.9 | 32.8 | 35.6 | |
| 18 | Howard County | 54.5 | 92.2 | 86 | 6.3 | 28 | 28.3 | 61.4 | 51.5 | 22.6 | 46.5 | 35.9 | 35.7 | |
| 19 | Boone County | 53.7 | 84.8 | 74.5 | 21.5 | 37.4 | 40.7 | 47.4 | 37.7 | 32.8 | 62.1 | 40.9 | 43.7 | |
| 20 | Bradley County | 53.1 | 75.1 | 92.2 | 3 | 39.8 | 16.8 | 38.8 | 69.3 | 86 | 54.6 | 24.4 | 25.9 | |
| 21 | Johnson County | 53.1 | 81.8 | 82.8 | 6.6 | 34.4 | 23.5 | 49.3 | 41.9 | 86 | 64.1 | 26.7 | 42.9 | |
| 22 | Nevada County | 52.8 | 82.2 | 70.4 | 19.2 | 47 | 33.5 | 40.4 | 69.5 | 16.3 | 54.9 | 27.7 | 34.1 | |
| 23 | Lincoln County | 52.6 | 81.7 | 85.3 | 14.9 | 33.6 | 24.6 | 35.5 | 70.3 | 86 | 45.9 | 19.8 | ||
| 24 | Lawrence County | 52.5 | 87.5 | 90.3 | 5.6 | 33.3 | 24.7 | 41 | 32.1 | 46.1 | 61.4 | 53.8 | 39.5 | |
| 25 | Franklin County | 52.3 | 84.7 | 82.7 | 23.3 | 26.7 | 26.6 | 52.6 | 50.6 | 25.1 | 62.4 | 29.9 | 42.6 |
Montgomery County
Newton County
Searcy County
Sharp County
Pike County
Stone County
Van Buren County
Madison County
Calhoun County
Woodruff County
Izard County
Clay County
Dallas County
Grant County
Cleveland County
Little River County
Perry County
Howard County
Boone County
Bradley County
Johnson County
Nevada County
Lincoln County
Lawrence County
Franklin County
Frequently Asked Questions about Counties in Arkansas
Common questions about county rankings and scores in Arkansas.
What is the best county in Arkansas?
Montgomery County is the top-ranked county in Arkansas with a CountyScore of 65.3/100. It leads the state across the available scoring dimensions, which include Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate.
How many counties are ranked in Arkansas?
Arkansas has 75 counties in total. Of those, 75 have been ranked with a composite score based on available data dimensions. The remaining 0 counties do not yet have enough data for a full score.
What factors determine a county's score?
Each county is scored 0–100 across up to nine baseline data dimensions: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, and Weather & Climate. The composite score is a weighted average of whichever baseline dimensions have data. Currently available baseline dimensions are: Property Tax, Cost of Living, Income & Jobs, Safety, Health, Schools, Disaster Risk, Water Quality, Weather & Climate. Higher scores are always better — a score of 100 represents the best possible performance for that dimension.
What is the average county score in Arkansas?
The average composite CountyScore across all ranked counties in Arkansas is 48/100. The national average is 50/100, so Arkansas counties score 2 points below the national average.
How does Arkansas compare to other states?
Arkansas's average county score of 48/100 is 2 points below the national average of 50/100. You can compare Arkansas counties to counties in any other state using the county detail pages or the CountyScore compare tool.
Explore County Data by Category
Dive deeper into specific dimensions for counties in Arkansas.
Best counties in other states
Data: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, FBI UCR, CDC, FEMA NRI, NCES, EPA SDWIS, 2019–2023 ACS — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.