Virginia to Arkansas Moving Guide
Updated June 13, 2025

Planning a 845 mile interstate move from Virginia to Arkansas? This moving guide will help you compare living in Virginia vs Arkansas across 7 important categories. Compare the pros & cons (like high cost of living vs lower cost of living), food & health (like Ham vs Fried Catfish), real estate & housing (colonial, craftsman vs ranch, craftsman), weather & wardrobe, cost of living & taxes (it's more expensive in Virginia), politics & religion, and education.
Key Takeaways:
- Say goodbye to Ham and BBQ Pulled Pork, but get your taste buds ready for Fried Catfish & Smoked Ribs
- Arkansas housing costs are 47% less expensive than they are in Virginia
- Rent in Arkansas is 28.10% more affordable than in Virginia
- Moving from Virginia to Arkansas will cost on average between $1,500 - $6,000
- Our top recommended Virginia to Arkansas movers is ARS Movers
Virginia to Arkansas Moving Guide
Pros and Cons of Moving from Virginia to Arkansas
- High cost of living
- Traffic congestion
- Busy metropolitan areas
- High property taxes
- Lower cost of living
- Simpler commutes
- Quieter, rural lifestyle
- Lower property taxes
- Fewer historical sites
- Hotter summers
- Less cultural diversity
- No coastline
- Rich history
- Four distinct seasons
- Diverse culture
- Proximity to beaches
Pros of moving from Virginia to Arkansas
- Say goodbye to the high cost of living and hello to the lower cost of living
- Look forward to moving away from traffic congestion and moving to Arkansas with simpler commutes
- Swap the busy metropolitan areas of Virginia for a quieter rural lifestyle in Arkansas
- Get ready for lower property taxes in Arkansas
Cons of moving from Virginia to Arkansas
- Unfortunately, you'll be moving away from the rich history in Virginia to live with fewer historical sites in Arkansas
- You'll lose out on the pro of four distinct seasons and have to settle for the con of hotter summers
- Time to bid farewell to the diverse culture and get used to less cultural diversity in Arkansas
- Swap proximity to beaches for no coastline
Virginia vs. Arkansas: Comparing the Local Foodie Scene
Comparison | Virginia | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Most iconic local food item | Ham | Fried Catfish |
Most popular meat dish | BBQ Pulled Pork | Smoked Ribs |
Most popular street food item | Peanuts | BBQ Nachos |
Most popular vegan food | Avocado Toast | BBQ Jackfruit |
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 Virginia to Arkansas, you will be trading the iconic Ham of Virginia for the equally delicious Fried Catfish of Arkansas. And while the locals in Virginia rave about their flavorful BBQ Pulled Pork and sumptuous Peanuts, Arkansas residents know they have tasty Smoked Ribs and BBQ Nachos to savor. While the vegan transplants might be saying goodbye to the Avocado Toast they've grown to love, they can get ready for the BBQ Jackfruit of Arkansas. In the days before your move, make sure you get one final trip to iconic Virginia eateries like The Inn at Little Washington, L’Auberge Provençale, and Mama J’s Kitchen. 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, The Root Cafe, and Doe’s Eat Place.
When comparing lifestyles, Arkansas shows less emphasis on fitness and health consciousness than Virginia. Food truck fans will discover a similar selection in Arkansas compared to what you are used to in Virginia. Also, the overall foodie scene is less bustling in Arkansas.
Real Estate & Lifestyle Differences between Virginia and Arkansas
Comparison | Virginia | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Typical Architecture Style | Colonial, Craftsman | Ranch, Craftsman |
Walkability | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 | 👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟👟 |
Bikeability | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 | 🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲🚲 |
Urban Lifestyle | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ | 🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️🏛️ |
Most popular items mentioned in real estate listing | Proximity to D.C., historical landmarks | Natural landscapes, outdoor activities |
- The Colonial and Craftsman architecture that Virginia is known for will be replaced with the Ranch and Craftsman architecture typical of Arkansas.
- Compared to Virginia's real estate listings that commonly reference proximity to D.C. and historical landmarks, Arkansas real estate listings often highlight features like natural landscapes and outdoor activities.
- You can keep your walking shoes packed away. Arkansas is less walkable than Virginia.
- Arkansas is similarly bike-friendly to Virginia.
- Arkansas has less of an urban feel than Virginia.
- Arkansas housing costs are 47% less expensive than they are in Virginia, with a median home price of $203,305 compared to Virginia’s $385,780.
- Over the prior 5 years, home prices in Arkansas have increased by 41% compared to a 42% increase in Virginia.
- Rent in Arkansas is 28.10% more affordable than in Virginia.
Your Move, Your Forecast: Key Weather Differences between Virginia and Arkansas
Comparison | Virginia | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Days of Sunshine per Year | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ | ☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️ |
Avg. Annual Humidity | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 | 💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦💦 |
Avg. UV Index | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ | 🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️🕶️ |
Natural Disasters | Hurricanes, Floods | Tornadoes, Floods |
Air Quality | Generally Good | Variable, urban vs rural areas |
Average Summer High/Low (°F) | 85°F/65°F | 92°F/72°F |
Average Winter High/Low (°F) | 48°F/29°F | 51°F/32°F |
Annual Rainfall (Inches) | 44" | 50" |
Annual Snowfall (Inches) | 14" | 5" |
- Break out the sunglasses for your move from Virginia to Arkansas. Arkansas gets 6% more sunshine days than Virginia.
- Arkansas has higher humidity and a higher average UV index compared to Virginia.
- Say goodbye to the possible hurricanes and floods in Virginia, 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 7 degrees warmer than in Virginia.
- The average winter lows are 3 degrees warmer than they are in Virginia.
- Your umbrella might be more overworked in Arkansas. Arkansas receives 6 more inches of rain compared to Virginia.
Financial & Community Snapshot: Virginia and Arkansas
Comparison | Virginia | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Avg. Household Income | $85,873 | $55,432 |
Cost of Living Index | 96.6 | 90.5 |
State Income Tax | 2% - 5.75% | 0% - 5.5% |
Avg. Property Tax | 0.8% | 0.6% |
Avg. Sales Tax | 5.3% | 6.5% |
Top 3 Industries | Technology, Government, Education | Agriculture, Manufacturing, Retail |
Affluence | Moderate | Low |
Poverty | Moderate | Moderate |
Homelessness | Low | Low |
- When it comes to your monthly paycheck, residents in Arkansas tend to earn about 35% less than in Virginia
- The COLI in Arkansas is 6% lower than what you are used to living in Virginia
- The state income tax in AR is 0% - 5.5% compared to 2% - 5.75% in VA
- The affluence in Arkansas is low compared to moderate in Virginia
- The poverty level is moderate in Arkansas compared to moderate in Virginia
- In terms of homelessness, it is low in Virginia and low in Arkansas
Political and Religious Climate in Virginia vs. Arkansas
Comparison | Virginia | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Political Make-up | Moderately liberal, recent elections lean Democratic | Conservative, recent elections lean Republican |
Local Politics | Diverse political landscape with urban areas leaning Democratic | Mostly conservative, with a strong Republican presence even in urban areas |
Religion | Christianity is predominant, but with a notable presence of other faiths | Highly Christian, with Baptists being particularly prominent |
- Virginia tends to lean moderately liberal, as recent elections lean Democratic in its political climate
- Arkansas, on the other hand, is often described as conservative, as recent elections lean Republican
- Arkansas' religious environment can be described as highly Christian, with Baptists being particularly prominent
- Virginia's residents' religious practices can be generally categorized as Christianity being predominant, but with a notable presence of other faiths
Education Guide When Moving from Virginia to Arkansas
Comparison | Virginia | Arkansas |
---|---|---|
Where most Seniors go to college (top 3) | University of Virginia Virginia Tech James Madison University | University of Arkansas Arkansas State University University of Central Arkansas |
Top 3 Elementary Schools | Arlington Science Focus School - Arlington Stenwood Elementary - Vienna Westbriar Elementary - Vienna | Baker Interdistrict Elementary School - Little Rock Forest Park Elementary - Little Rock Vandergriff Elementary - Fayetteville |
Top 3 Middle Schools | Longfellow Middle School - Falls Church Frost Middle School - Fairfax Henley Middle School - Crozet | Lisa Academy North Middle School - Sherwood LISA Academy West Middle School - Little Rock Haas Hall Academy - Fayetteville |
Top 3 High Schools | Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology - Alexandria McLean High School - McLean Langley High School - McLean | Haas Hall Academy - Fayetteville eStem High Public Charter - Little Rock Bentonville High School - Bentonville |
Top 3 private high schools | Thomas Jefferson School - Alexandria The Potomac School - McLean Flint Hill School - Oakton | Pulaski Academy - Little Rock Shiloh Christian School - Springdale Little Rock Christian Academy - Little Rock |
Top 3 private K-12 schools | The Madeira School - McLean Norfolk Academy - Norfolk Collegiate School - Richmond | Lisa Academy - Little Rock The New School - Fayetteville Subiaco Academy - Subiaco |
Top 3 School Districts | Fairfax County Public Schools Loudoun County Public Schools Arlington Public Schools | Bentonville School District Fayetteville Public Schools Rogers Public Schools |
How Much Do Virginia to Arkansas Movers Cost?
Moving 845 miles from Virginia to Arkansas will typically cost between $2,500 and $6,000 to hire full service movers. See the chart below for a detailed breakdown by home size.
- Expected Range: $2,500 - $6,000
- Expected Time To Complete: 2-2 days
- Most Affordable Recommended Movers: Estes SureMove
HOME SIZE | MOVING COST | VOLUME OF PACKED ITEMS (FT3) | $/FT3 |
---|---|---|---|
Studio | $1,682 | 300 ft3 | $5.61 |
1 Bedroom | $2,500 | 450 ft3 | $5.56 |
2 Bedrooms | $4,129 | 750 ft3 | $5.51 |
3 Bedrooms | $6,001 | 1100 ft3 | $5.46 |
4 Bedrooms | $8,648 | 1600 ft3 | $5.41 |
5+ Bedrooms | $9,639 | 1800 ft3 | $5.36 |
Top Virginia to Arkansas Movers
Read our in-depth analysis of the best Virginia to Arkansas movers with detailed rankings, cost breakdowns, and reviews.