With three natural forests, 45 state parks, 13 major lakes, 2 mountain ranges and 9,000 miles of streams and rivers, Arkansas has earned its nickname as The Natural State. The southern state is loaded with outdoor attractions and features many communities with affordable apartments. But where are the cheapest places to live in Arkansas?
Arkansas average rent prices
Major cities like Little Rock, Bentonville and Fayetteville are more well-known since they have major attractions like the Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, headquarters of Walmart and home of the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks, respectively. But Arkansas’s rent price still averages significantly lower than many states, where it’s not unusual to drop one or two thousand bucks a month on a one-bedroom. Texas is about $1,276 on average while a one-bedroom in Tennessee is $1,307 on average.
Although Arkansas on the whole has seen a monthly rent increase of 5.1 percent in the last year, you can still find a great place for less than $1,000 a month since the average one-bedroom is $807.
The cheapest cities in Arkansas for renters
Budget-conscious renters will appreciate the fact that all of the cities on this list fall below the state average. Take a look at the 10 cheapest places to live in Arkansas, based on one-bedroom rent prices.
10. Benton
Source: Rent./The Greens at Longhills
- Average 1-BR rent price: $658
- Average rent change in the past year: 1.77%
A suburb of Little Rock, Benton is located between Little Rock and Hot Springs along I-30. The family-friendly community offers residents great schools, an active downtown, farmers market, food trucks and locally-owned shops. In 2017, a former airport became the new River Center, which features a senior center, convention center, aquatics center, fitness classes and more to residents of Benton.
9. Bryant
Source: Rent./The Greens at Hurricane Creek
- Average 1-BR rent price: $656
- Average rent change in the past year: 2.85%
Located in the center of the state and near the capital of Little Rock, Bryant has a suburban feel to its community. From organizing ways to increase recycling to promoting adopt-a-street programs, the community of Bryant comes together to improve their neighborhoods and services.
8. Jonesboro
Source: Rent./The Landing at Greensborough Village
- Average 1-BR rent price: $640
- Average rent change in the past year: 8.10%
The fifth-largest city in Arkansas, Jonesboro sits on the northeastern corner of the state. The West Washington Avenue Historic District features 13 historic properties from 1890 to 1930. Locals enjoy having access to Craighead Forest Park, a city-owned park located on Crowley’s Ridge that features a 60-acre fishing lake, camping facilities, hiking/biking trails and nature areas within Jonesboro city limits.
7. Sherwood
Source: Rent./The Links at Sherwood
- Average 1-BR rent price: $633
- Average rent change in the past year: 2.02%
Another suburb of Little Rock, Sherwood is about 10 minutes from the major city and in the center of the state. Delta Dental of Arkansas has its headquarters in Sherwood and most recently, Wipro Limited, a global information technology and consulting company, shared it will open a new delivery center in the city. Expect neighbors to say hello as you walk the dog or ride your bike with your kids in this tight-knit community.
6. Marion
Source: Rent./Angelo’s Grove
- Average 1-BR rent price: $632
- Average rent change in the past year: 2.40%
Located along the Mississippi River and just shy of 10 miles from Memphis, TN, Marion offers its residents a quality school system and active youth, family and civic engagement. Marion residents appreciate living in a small town and being able to access big-city attractions and amenities within a short distance.
5. Conway
- Average 1-BR rent price: $597
- Average rent change in the past year: 0.76%
Located in central Arkansas, Conway is known as the City of Colleges since it’s home to three post-secondary educational institutions. The city, which includes Lake Conway, one of the largest man-made game and fishing commission lakes in the country, is also home to a thriving economy filled with restaurants and retailers.
4. Russellville
- Average 1-BR rent price: $567
- Average rent change in the past year: 2.44%
The Arkansas River Valley runs through Russellville and the city, which has more of a suburban feel to it, takes advantage of its natural amenity with events, such as the three-day Arkansas River Valley Bike Fest. The city also offers 14 parks, a skateboard park and softball and baseball complexes. Locals and visitors can fish, hunt, kayak and canoe in the Arkansas River Valley. Russellville is also home to a major public university: Arkansas Tech University.
3. Texarkana
- Average 1-BR rent price: $553
- Average rent change in the past year: 2.36%
Located on the southwest border of the state and across the state line from its twin city of the same name in Texas, the city features five golf courses, Little League teams, local bands and more to keep residents entertained. Texarkana also is home to one of only two U.S. Post Offices that sits in two states at once. Don’t miss an opportunity to get a photo in Arkansas and Texas at the same time with the Texarkana Federal Court House in the background.
2. Fort Smith
- Average 1-BR rent price: $502
- Average rent change in the past year: 6.53%
Nestled right at the Arkansas and Oklahoma border on the northwest side of Arkansas, Fort Smith’s slogan is “Where the New South Meets the Old West.” The third-largest city in Arkansas is loaded with history. The Fort Smith Museum of History captures much of it for locals and visitors alike. Elvis fans will appreciate that they can still visit Fort Chaffee’s Barbershop and see where the singer received his famous Army buzz cut.
1. Pine Bluff
- Average 1-BR rent price: $440
- Average rent change in the past year: 0.00%
Home to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, the city of Pine Bluff also features a number of cultural attractions including the Arkansas Railroad Museum and the Arts & Science Center for Southeast Arkansas. Locals and visitors can take a walk along downtown Pine Bluff and learn some interesting historical facts about the city through the colorful murals that grace its downtown buildings.
The most expensive places to live in Arkansas
While this list features some of the cheapest places to live in Arkansas, here are some of the most expensive places to call home in this state.
Methodology
Rent prices are based on a one-year rolling weighted average from Apartment Guide and Rent.’s multifamily rental property inventory as of August 2021. Our team uses a weighted average formula that more accurately represents price availability for each unit type and reduces the influence of seasonality on rent prices in specific markets.
We excluded cities with insufficient inventory from this report.
The rent information included in this article is used for illustrative purposes only. The data contained herein do not constitute financial advice or a pricing guarantee for any apartment.
Source: rent.com