Military retirement is fully tax-exempt and home prices around its bases rank among the lowest of any duty stations.
C-130 hub where Jacksonville, Cabot, and Sherwood offer some of the cheapest quality housing in the Air Force.
Selected as the foreign F-35 training site, bringing steady growth to an already affordable Fort Smith market.
Small chemical-defense installation where many civilian and military employees choose to live closer to Little Rock.
Everything military families ask about before a PCS to Arkansas — taxes, benefits, housing, schools, weather, and traffic.
Arkansas fully exempts active-duty military pay and military retirement pay from state income tax, and VA disability is untaxed. Overall income tax rates have been cut repeatedly in recent legislation. Property taxes are low, and veterans rated 100% permanently and totally disabled (and qualifying surviving spouses) are fully exempt from property tax on their homestead and personal property. Confirm current filing requirements with your county assessor.
The Jacksonville-Cabot corridor near Little Rock AFB is one of the strongest BAH-to-payment markets anywhere — an E-4's BAH typically covers a median single-family home with room to spare. Fort Smith remains inexpensive even as the Ebbing F-35 mission adds demand, making it an interesting appreciation play. Low property taxes and cheap insurance relative to coastal states keep total monthly costs down across the state.
Arkansas summers are hot and humid with highs in the mid-90s°F, and the state sits squarely in tornado and severe-hail territory — roof age drives insurance pricing, so get the shingle date in writing and ask about hail claims history. Spring storms can produce flash flooding; check FEMA maps near the Arkansas River and low-lying Cabot and Jacksonville subdivisions. Winters are short and mild, with occasional ice storms that matter more than snow for power reliability.
Commutes are a strong point. Cabot to Little Rock AFB runs about 15-20 minutes down Highway 67/167, with the only real backups at the main gate during morning PT hours; Sherwood and Jacksonville are closer still. Living in west Little Rock adds a 35-minute cross-town drive that most base families skip. Fort Smith traffic around Ebbing ANGB is light, and I-540 keeps Greenwood commutes around 20 minutes.
Get pre-approved before you land. A VA loan specialist can have your numbers ready this week.
Call (719) 259-2246