2023 Report: Cities in Arkansas where Household Expenses are Highest and Lowest
How does living in Arkansas state affect your wallet?
doxo breaks down key insights about the state’s household expenses, with a close eye to how bills differ in towns and cities. On average, Arkansas household expenses, doxo’s data reveals, are $1,635 in bills per month.
doxo’s data also has infographics for 50 cities and towns across Arkansas, breaking down localized bill pay data figures as well. The state-wide rankings for most and least expensive cities provide insight into cost of living in Arkansas and how it changes according to location.
The data sheds light on Arkansas cost of living through other metrics, too.
For example, the “percent of household income” data point shows what percentage of household income local residents spend on bills. doxo’s data also indicates how much more or less expensive specific cities are than the national and state average.
Arkansas residents pay $1,635 in household bills a month
The average Arkansas household pays $1,635 a month for the 10 most common household bills. This figure takes into account the 10 most common household bills, which are:Mortgage; Rent; Auto Loan; Utilities (electric, gas, water & sewer, and waste & recycling); Auto Insurance; Cable & Internet & Phone, Health Insurance (consumer paid portion); Mobile Phone; Alarm & Security; and Life Insurance.
Arkansas residents, overall, get a good deal on their bills: the state ranks 48th out of 50 states in terms of average monthly spending.
Arkansas household expenses, on average, are 20.1% lower than the national average of $2,046.
Absolute dollar amounts don’t tell the full story, however. The “percentage of household income” metric provides a more proportional look at bill spending in a particular location. Arkansas households spend 39% of their income on household expenses, which is considerably higher than many states where households pay much costlier expenses on average. For example, New Jersey is the 3rd most expensive state, at $2,727 on average per household per month, but this accounts for only 35% of local income.
Annually, Arkansas residents pay $22 billion in household bills. See more data about bill pay in Arkansas by clicking on the infographic link below.
doxoINSIGHTS’ bill pay infographic about Arkansas
- Average Bill Cost per HH: $1,635 per month
- State Bill Pay Market Size: $22 billion
- doxoINSIGHTS State Rank: 48 out of 50
- Percent of HHI Used for Bills: 39%
- Difference from the National Average: 20.1% lower
Housing bill category drives Arkansas low monthly bill expenses
The average Arkansas household pays $1,635 in the 10 most common household bills per month. Rent and mortgage expenses drive savings, with both being considerably lower than the national average.
The average mortgage payment in Arkansas is $947, and average rent is $807, compared to the national average mortgage bill of $1,321 and rent bill of $1,191.
Utilities are also an area in which Arkansas residents save considerably. The average household in the state pays $315 a month for utilities, compared to the national average of $351.
Auto insurance is also more affordable in Arkansas. While US residents on average spend $180 per month on car insurance, in Arkansas they spend just $207.
Note: Health Insurance and Life Insurance expenses do not account for payments made by employers on behalf of employees. These just include out-of-pocket expenses. Also, the state and national bill totals take into account the percentage of households that pay a bill.
Average Arkansas Household Bill Spending
| Bill Category | Average Arkansas Monthly Bill | National Average Monthly Bill | Arkansas Percent +/- National Average ($2,046) |
| Mortgage | $947 | $1,321 | 28% lower |
| Rent | $807 | $1,191 | 32% lower |
| Auto Loan | $432 | $467 | 7% lower |
| Utilities | $315 | $351 | 10% lower |
| Auto Insurance | $180 | $207 | 13% lower |
| Cable & Internet | $106 | $118 | 10% lower |
| Health Insurance | $88 | $120 | 27% lower |
| Mobile Phone | $104 | $119 | 13% lower |
| Alarm & Security | $76 | $84 | 10% lower |
| Life Insurance | $78 | $89 | 12% lower |
| Total | $1,635 | $2,046 | 20.1% lower |
Maumelle tops the list of most expensive cities for Arkansas household bills
Residents of Maumelle pay the highest household bills in the state of Arkansas, at an average of $2,432 per month. Bentonville comes second in the rankings, with residents paying $2,131 on average per month.
In proportion to household income, however, Bentonville’s bills are a remarkably good deal for local residents. While Maumelle’s residents spend 46% of their income on average on bills, in Bentonville this rate plunges to just 29%.
Access detailed infographics about each city or town by clicking on the hyperlinks in the “City” column in the tables below. You can also browse doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to see infographics about more than 4,200 cities and towns across all 50 states in the US.
10 Most Expensive Arkansas Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (1-10 out of 50) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 1 | Maumelle | $2,432 | 46% |
| 2 | Bentonville | $2,131 | 29% |
| 3 | Little Rock | $2,048 | 43% |
| 4 | Sherwood | $1,983 | 37% |
| 5 | North Little Rock | $1,897 | 48% |
| 6 | Benton | $1,880 | 34% |
| 7 | Bella Vista | $1,877 | 32% |
| 8 | Cabot | $1,835 | 35% |
| 9 | Jacksonville | $1,832 | 46% |
| 10 | Alexander | $1,827 | 32% |
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
*Household Bill Pay Expense averages shown above reflect the ten most common bills paid, including housing (rent/mortgage).
Pocahontas is the most affordable Arkansas city for household bills
Out of 50 cities and towns, Pocahontas is the most affordable place in Arkansas, with residents paying $1,224 on average for household bills. Household bills account for 32% of local income in Pocahontas.
Pine Bluff comes in at the second most affordable town or city in Arkansas, with residents paying $1,374 per month on average.
Also on the list of 10 least expensive cities in Arkansas are Hope ($1,390 per month), Crossett ($1,422 per month), and El Dorado ($1,423 per month).
10 Most Affordable Arkansas Cities for Household Bills
| Rank (41-50 out of 50) | City | Monthly Bill Expenses Per Household* | Percent of Household Income Used for Bills |
| 41 | Clarksville | $1,479 | 47% |
| 42 | Magnolia | $1,468 | 48% |
| 43 | Malvern | $1,450 | 40% |
| 44 | Monticello | $1,448 | 40% |
| 45 | Harrison | $1,433 | 36% |
| 46 | El Dorado | $1,423 | 37% |
| 47 | Crossett | $1,422 | 34% |
| 48 | Hope | $1,390 | 33% |
| 49 | Pine Bluff | $1,374 | 42% |
| 50 | Pocahontas | $1,224 | 32% |
Some individuals may be deciding whether to move from a more expensive city to a less expensive one. doxoINSIGHTS can be a valuable resource for consumers seeking to make key decisions like this, allowing them to compare Arkansas household expenses against average bills in different cities and states across the country.
They can also use doxoINSIGHTS’ regional bill comparison database to compare average costs for over 900 towns and cities across the country.