DC to Arkansas Moving Guide
Updated June 8, 2025

Planning a 995 mile interstate move from DC to Arkansas? This moving guide will help you compare living in DC vs Arkansas across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs affordable housing), food & health (like Half-Smoke vs Fried Catfish), real estate & housing (victorian and modern vs traditional and craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in DC), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Half-Smoke and Mumbo Sauce with Chicken Wings, but get your taste buds ready for Fried Catfish & Smoked Pork Ribs
- Arkansas housing costs are 67% less expensive than they are in DC
- Rent in Arkansas is 45.15% more affordable than in DC
- Moving from DC to Arkansas will cost on average between $2,000 - $6,500
- Our top recommended DC to Arkansas movers is Bookstore Movers
DC to Arkansas Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from DC to Arkansas
- High cost of living
- Heavy traffic
- Snowy winters
- Political atmosphere
- Affordable housing
- Less congestion
- Mild winters
- Relaxed lifestyle
- Fewer museums
- Limited cuisine options
- Car necessary
- Fewer corporate jobs
- Cultural attractions
- Diverse dining
- Public transportation
- Job opportunities
Pros of moving from DC to Arkansas
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to affordable housing
- Look forward to moving away from heavy traffic and moving to Arkansas with less congestion
- Swap the snowy winters of DC for mild winters in Arkansas
- Get ready for a relaxed lifestyle in Arkansas
Cons of moving from DC to Arkansas
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from cultural attractions in DC to live with fewer museums in Arkansas
- You'll lose out on the pro of diverse dining and have to settle for the con of limited cuisine options
- Time to bid farewell to public transportation and get used to cars being necessary in Arkansas
- Swap job opportunities for fewer corporate jobs
DC vs. Arkansas: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | DC | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Half-Smoke | Fried Catfish |
Most popular meat dish | Mumbo Sauce with Chicken Wings | Smoked Pork Ribs |
Most popular street food item | Food Trucks Variety | Barbecue Nachos |
Most popular vegan food | Quinoa Salad | BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich |
Top 3 iconic restaurants that summarize the state |
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Fitness/Health Conscientiousness | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 | 💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪💪 |
Abundance of Food Trucks | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 | 🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚🚚 |
Foodie Scene | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 | 🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴🍴 |
Vegan Friendly | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 | 🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱🌱 |
If you're moving from DC to Arkansas, you will be trading the iconic Half-Smoke of DC for the equally delicious Fried Catfish of Arkansas. And while the locals in DC rave about their flavorful Mumbo Sauce with Chicken Wings and sumptuous Food Trucks Variety, Arkansas residents know they have tasty Smoked Pork Ribs and Barbecue Nachos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Quinoa Salad they've grown to love, they can get ready for the BBQ Jackfruit Sandwich of Arkansas. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic DC eateries like Ben's Chili Bowl, Rosa's Thai Café, and Zaytinya. After the boxes are unpacked in Arkansas, don't wait too long before making your way to Arkansas' acclaimed eateries like McClard's Bar-B-Q, Whole Hog Café, and Sims Bar-B-Que.
When comparing lifestyles, Arkansas shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than DC. Food truck fans will discover a less desirable selection in Arkansas compared to what you are used to in DC. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Arkansas.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between DC and Arkansas
Comparison | DC | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Victorian and Modern | Traditional and Craftsman |
Walkability | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 |
Bikeability | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 |
Urban Lifestyle | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Proximity to Metro, Rooftop Decks | Large Yards, Proximity to Nature |
- The Victorian and Modern architecture that DC is known for will be replaced with the Traditional and Craftsman architecture typical of Arkansas.
- Compared to DC's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to metro and rooftop decks, Arkansas real estate listings often highlight features like large yards and proximity to nature.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away because Arkansas is less walkable than DC.
- You might want to think twice before moving your bike because Arkansas is less bike-friendly than DC.
- Arkansas has less of an urban feel compared to DC.
- Arkansas housing costs are 67% less expensive than they are in DC, with a median home price of $203,305 compared to DC’s $619,320.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Arkansas have increased 41% compared to an 8% increase in DC.
- Rent in Arkansas is 45.15% more affordable than in DC.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between DC and Arkansas
Comparison | DC | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 |
Avg. UV Index | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ |
Natural Disasters | Blizzards, Hurricanes | Tornadoes, Floods |
Air Quality | Good | Moderate |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 88/71 | 92/72 |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 47/29 | 51/32 |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 39.74 | 50.6 |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 15.4 | 5 |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from DC to Arkansas. Arkansas gets 7% more sunshine days than DC.
- Arkansas has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to DC.
- Say goodbye to the possible blizzards and hurricanes in DC, but be on the lookout for potential tornadoes and floods in Arkansas.
- Get ready for warmer summers. The average summer high temperature in Arkansas is 4 degrees warmer than in DC.
- The average winter lows are 3 degrees warmer than they are in DC.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Arkansas. Arkansas receives 10.9 more inches of rain compared to DC.
Financial & Community Snapshot: DC and Arkansas
Comparison | DC | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $101,027 | $55,432 |
Cost of Living Index | 140.1 | 90.5 |
State Income Tax | 10.75% | 5.5% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.56% | 0.62% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 6% | 6.5% |
Top 3 Industries | Government, Education, Law | Agriculture, Manufacturing, Retail |
Affluence | High | Moderate |
Poverty | Low | Moderate |
Homelessness | Moderate | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Arkansas tend to earn about 45% less than in DC
- The COLI in Arkansas is 35% lower than what you are used to living in DC
- The state income tax in AR is 5.5% compared to 10.75% in DC
- The affluence in Arkansas is moderate compared to high in DC
- The poverty level is moderate in Arkansas compared to low in DC
- In terms of homelessness, it is moderate in DC and low in Arkansas
Political and Religious Climate in DC vs. Arkansas
Comparison | DC | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Heavily Democratic | Moderately to strongly Republican |
Local Politics | Progressive policies, high engagement | More conservative, varies by region |
Religion | Pluralistic, less religious overall | Evangelical Protestant majority |
- DC tends to lean heavily Democratic in its political climate
- Arkansas, on the other hand, is often described as moderately to strongly Republican
- Arkansas' religious environment can be described as an evangelical Protestant majority
- DC's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as pluralistic and less religious overall
Education Guide When Moving from DC to Arkansas
Comparison | DC | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | Georgetown University George Washington University American University | University of Arkansas Arkansas State University University of Central Arkansas |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Janney Elementary Mann Elementary Lafayette Elementary | Baker Interdistrict Elementary Vandergriff Elementary Forest Park Elementary |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Deal Middle School Hardy Middle School Alice Deal Middle School | Lisa Academy North Middle McNair Middle School Fulbright Junior High |
Top 3 High Schools | Benjamin Banneker High School School Without Walls High School McKinley Technology High School | Haas Hall Academy Bentonville High School Rogers High School |
Top 3 private high schools | Georgetown Day School Sidwell Friends School Maret School | Pulaski Academy Little Rock Christian Academy Shiloh Christian School |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | Washington International School British International School of Washington Edmund Burke School | The Anthony School Little Rock Christian Academy Subiaco Academy |
Top 3 School Districts | District of Columbia Public Schools KIPP DC Basis DC | Bentonville School District Fayetteville Public Schools Little Rock School District |
How Much Do DC to Arkansas Movers Cost?
Moving 995 miles from DC to Arkansas will typically cost between $2,500 and $6,500 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $6,500
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-2 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Mic's Moving
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,767 | 300 ft3 | $5.89 |
1 Bedroom | $2,627 | 450 ft3 | $5.84 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,341 | 750 ft3 | $5.79 |
3 Bedrooms | $6,312 | 1100 ft3 | $5.74 |
4 Bedrooms | $9,102 | 1600 ft3 | $5.69 |
5+ Bedrooms | $10,149 | 1800 ft3 | $5.64 |
Top DC to Arkansas Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best DC to Arkansas movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.