Buyers and sellers of real estate alike—when asked what are the three most essential considerations about a property—will nearly always reply “location, location, location.” While this answer is sometimes tongue-in-cheek, it is often quite accurate, and this reply perhaps applies to retirees more than any other demographic. Settling down after a lifetime of working and perhaps raising a family calls for the perfect location: a spot where you can enjoy life with as few concerns as possible.
When seniors aged 65 years or older decide on where they want to live out their golden years, they consider very specific factors, such as the cost of living, government services, health care facilities, weather and overall climate, crime rate, outdoor recreational activities, eating establishments, cultural and entertainment opportunities, and more.
Stacker compiled a list of the best counties to retire in Arkansas using data from Niche. Niche ranks counties based on a variety of factors including cost of living, healthcare, recreation and weather. Read more about Niche’s methodology here.
Location is critical as retirees determine where to spend their senior years enjoying favorite activities; however, it’s a very unique decision based on a multitude of preferences and needs. Whether it be bustling downtowns or access to parks, affordable home prices or cultural amenities like museums, retirees seeking to settle in a permanent spot are sure to find a private paradise in any of these counties recommended by Niche because, in the end, there is no place like home—no matter the location.
Read on to discover the best counties to retire to in Arkansas.
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#25. Columbia County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Magnolia (B-), Emerson Township (B+), Taylor Township (B)
#24. Pike County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Brewer Township (A-), Antoine Township (B), Glenwood (B)
#23. Bradley County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Warren (C+), Ouachita Township (A-), Pennington Township (B-)
#22. Randolph County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (B+), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (B-)
– Top places to live: Pocahontas (B-), Current River Township (B), Demun Township (B-)
#21. Benton County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (A-)
– Top places to live: Cave Springs (A+), Bentonville (A+), Centerton (A)
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#20. Polk County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
– Top places to live: Mena (B-), Ozark Township (B), Center Township (B)
#19. Stone County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Sylamore Township (B+), Richwoods Township (B), Northwest Township (B-)
#18. Carroll County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
– Top places to live: Berryville (B), Green Forest (B-), Cross Township (A)
#17. Saline County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Bryant (A), Alexander (A-), Shannon Hills (A-)
#16. Sebastian County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (B+)
– Top places to live: Greenwood (A-), Fort Smith (A-), Barling (B+)
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#15. Searcy County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Prairie Township (B+), Rock Creek Township (B-), Pindall (B-)
#14. Woodruff County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: McCrory (B), De View Township (B), Patterson (B)
#13. Nevada County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A-), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Prescott (C+), Redland Township (B+), Emmet Township (B-)
#12. Little River County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Ashdown (B-), Jackson Township (B+), Jeff Davis Township (B+)
#11. Montgomery County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A), weather (B-), outdoor activities (B-)
– Top places to live: Caney Township (B-), Mount Ida (B-), Mount Ida Township (B-)
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#10. Dallas County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Fordyce (C+), Owen Township (B+), Sparkman (B)
#9. Van Buren County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: East Griggs Township (B), Choctaw Township (B), Red River Township (B)
#8. Fulton County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Mammoth Spring (B+), Strawberry Township (A-), Washington Township (B)
#7. Monroe County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A+), weather (B), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Brinkley (C), Roc Roe Township (B+), Cache Township (B-)
#6. Prairie County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A), weather (B), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: White River Township (B+), Des Arc (B+), Hazen (B)
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#5. Cleburne County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A-), weather (B), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Heber Springs (B), Valley Township (B), Heber Township (B)
#4. Garland County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (B+), weather (B), outdoor activities (B-)
– Top places to live: Hot Springs (B+), Piney (B-), Rockwell (B-)
#3. Izard County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A), cost of living (A), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Violet Hill Township (A-), Melbourne (B+), Mill Creek Township (B+)
#2. Sharp County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A+), cost of living (A), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C)
– Top places to live: Cherokee Village (B-), Highland (B-), Upper North Township (B)
#1. Baxter County
– Niche grades: good for retirees (A+), cost of living (B+), weather (B-), outdoor activities (C+)
– Top places to live: Mountain Home (B-), Salesville (B), Mountain Home Township (B)
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This article has been re-published pursuant to a CC BY-NC 4.0 License.