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Quality of Life in Texarkana, AR
Above-average quality of iife. The area offers a reasonable cost of living, decent mobility, and a mix of neighborhood amenities.
What does Quality of Life tell us?
Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.
What does this tell us?
Quality of Life blends cost of living, nearby amenities, socioeconomic signals, and neighborhood character. City-level scores represent the whole municipality; individual neighborhoods can differ.
Cost of Living
31% below national average
The Real Cost of Living in Texarkana, AR for 2026
| Tier | Individual | Family (4) |
|---|---|---|
| Survival | $14k | $27k |
| Comfortable | $32k | $46k |
| Luxury | $87k+ | $134k+ |
| Elite (Top 5%) | $114k+ | $177k+ |
103%
The Area Signal
A metric tracking the socioeconomic signals of the area.
Hobbies
Explore the areaGroceries
5 within 10 miles
Gas
20 within 10 miles
Hospital
7 within 20 miles
Airport
DFW — Dallas/Fort Worth International
Post Office
USPS — Texarkana, AR
Critical Amenities
Quality-of-Life Analysis
Texarkana, Arkansas, offers a cost of living significantly below the national average, attracting a mix of working-class families, military-affiliated households from the nearby Red River Army Depot, and retirees seeking to stretch their savings. With a composite cost of living index of 69 (100 = U.S. average), the area is one of the more affordable urban centers in the Ark-La-Tex region. The population skews toward middle-income earners in manufacturing, healthcare, and logistics, with a notable presence of veterans and defense contractors drawn by the depot’s steady employment base.
How housing costs and affordability compare to nearby cities
Housing in Texarkana, AR, is a primary driver of its low cost of living. The median home value sits at $162,700, roughly half the national median, while the median rent is $893 per month. These figures are notably lower than in Shreveport, Louisiana (about 75 miles south), where median home values exceed $200,000, and significantly cheaper than in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, where comparable homes often cost three times as much. The average commute time of 18.2 minutes is well below the national average of 26 minutes, reflecting the city’s compact layout and limited traffic congestion. This combination of low housing costs and short commutes means residents can allocate a larger share of income to savings, recreation, or home improvements compared to peers in larger Southern cities.
What daily life is like for families: schools, parks, and local amenities
Daily life in Texarkana, AR, revolves around a modest but functional set of amenities. The Arkansas side is served by the Texarkana Arkansas School District, which includes Arkansas High School and several elementary and middle schools. For higher education, Texarkana College and Texas A&M University-Texarkana provide local options for associate and bachelor’s degrees. Outdoor recreation centers on Spring Lake Park, which offers walking trails, a fishing pier, and a disc golf course, while the nearby Millwood Lake (about 30 minutes north) is a regional draw for bass fishing and boating. The city’s retail and dining scene is concentrated along State Line Avenue, with a mix of national chains and local eateries like Bryce’s Cafeteria and the Texarkana-based Naaman’s BBQ. The Perot Theatre, a restored 1920s venue, hosts touring Broadway shows and concerts, providing a cultural anchor that is unusual for a city of this size. Grocery and daily shopping are served by Walmart Supercenters and Brookshire’s, with most errands achievable within a 10-minute drive.
Texarkana, AR, is best suited for cost-conscious families, military personnel, and retirees who prioritize affordability and a slower pace over urban nightlife or high-end cultural offerings. The low crime rate on the Arkansas side relative to the Texas side, combined with the short commute and low housing costs, makes it a practical choice for those employed at the Red River Army Depot, local hospitals, or regional distribution centers. However, residents seeking diverse job markets, top-tier public schools, or extensive entertainment options may find the city limiting. For those who value financial breathing room and a tight-knit community feel, Texarkana, AR, delivers a stable, low-stress quality of life that is increasingly rare in the modern South.
Crime in Texarkana, AR
Significantly higher crime rates than 76% of comparable U.S. locations.
Violent CrimeViolent Crime Analysis
Property CrimeProperty Crime Analysis
Crime Analysis
Texarkana, Arkansas, reports a violent crime rate of 1,237.1 incidents per 100,000 residents and a property crime rate of 2,793.8 per 100,000, placing it among the most dangerous small cities in the state for personal safety. These figures, drawn from the most recent FBI Uniform Crime Reporting data, indicate that the risk of becoming a victim of violent crime in Texarkana is roughly three times higher than the national average. The city’s safety profile is heavily influenced by its position as a regional hub straddling the Arkansas-Texas border, where crime patterns often cross jurisdictional lines.
Crime in context
Texarkana’s violent crime rate is more than double the Arkansas state average of approximately 540 per 100,000 and nearly triple the U.S. median of 380 per 100,000. Property crime, while elevated, is closer to the national average but still exceeds the state figure of about 2,500 per 100,000. A key contextual factor is the local criminal justice system: the region operates under elected prosecutors and judges who, in recent years, have been characterized by some observers as progressive in their approach to sentencing and pretrial release. This ideological leaning, while intended to reduce incarceration, has been linked in practice to higher recidivism rates and a perception among residents that offenders face minimal consequences for repeat offenses. The result is a justice environment where property crimes like theft and burglary often go unpunished, and violent offenders may cycle back onto the streets quickly.
What residents experience
For those living in Texarkana, the high crime rate translates into tangible daily concerns. Aggravated assault accounts for the largest share of violent incidents, often tied to domestic disputes and arguments that escalate in public spaces. Robbery and carjacking are less common but occur with enough frequency to make evening errands feel risky in certain corridors, particularly along State Line Avenue and near the downtown area. Property crime is more diffuse, with vehicle break-ins and package thefts reported across most neighborhoods. Residents frequently cite a lack of visible police presence in residential areas and a sense that the justice system prioritizes offender rehabilitation over victim restitution. This perception is reinforced by local news coverage of repeat offenders being released on low bonds or diverted to treatment programs rather than facing jail time.
Neighborhood-level variation in Texarkana is significant but follows predictable patterns. The safest areas are generally the newer subdivisions on the city’s western edge, near the Arkansas-Texas line, where home values are higher and police response times are shorter. Conversely, the historic core east of the railroad tracks and the area around the Miller County Courthouse experience the highest concentration of both violent and property crimes. Prospective residents should research block-level crime maps and consider visiting at different times of day to gauge foot traffic and lighting conditions. For families, the school zones near College Hill and the southern part of the city offer a relative buffer, though no neighborhood is immune to the broader crime trends driven by the local justice system’s leniency.
* Values derived from national, state, county, city and local statistics and may differ in a specific area. Last updated: 2026-04-23T03:18:26.000Z
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