The 10 Worst Small Towns In Arkansas For 2024


The worst small towns in Arkansas are Eudora and Marked Tree for 2024 based on Friday Night Science.

Most Americans have never been to small town Arkansas. However, as the Arkansan who live there know, small town Arkansas is an awesome place to call home.

But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Arkansas has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Natural State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.

After analyzing more than 138 of Arkansas’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Arkansas where you’d never want to live:


Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table


These are the worst small towns in Arkansas for 2024:

  1. Eudora
  2. Marked Tree
  3. Dermott
  4. Brinkley
  5. Luxora
  6. Hughes
  7. Altus
  8. Kensett
  9. Earle
  10. Diaz

Worst Small Towns To Live In Arkansas Map

So what is the worst small town to call home in Arkansas for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Eudora is the worst small town to live in Arkansas.

While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Eudora home. Everyone

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.

And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Arkansas or the worst places to live in Arkansas.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

The 10 Worst Small Towns In Arkansas For 2024

1. Eudora

Eudora, AR

Source: Wikipedia User tara young | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,161
Median Home Value: $52,414
Median Income: $26,942
Unemployment Rate: 19.3%

2. Marked Tree

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 2,321
Median Home Value: $79,075
Median Income: $35,087
Unemployment Rate: 6.7%

3. Dermott

Dermott, AR

Source: Wikipedia User Brandonrush | CC BY-SA 3.0
Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 2,655
Median Home Value: $50,616
Median Income: $23,537
Unemployment Rate: 18.0%

4. Brinkley

Brinkley, AR

Source: Wikipedia User Brandonrush | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

1
/10

Population: 2,693
Median Home Value: $105,028
Median Income: $35,087
Unemployment Rate: 19.6%

5. Luxora

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,004
Median Home Value: $29,815
Median Income: $25,263
Unemployment Rate: 9.9%

6. Hughes

Hughes, AR

Source: Wikipedia User Brandonrush | CC BY-SA 4.0
Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,051
Median Home Value: $85,765
Median Income: $26,250
Unemployment Rate: 5.9%

7. Altus

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,008
Median Home Value: $132,021
Median Income: $37,768
Unemployment Rate: 9.7%

8. Kensett

Overall SnackAbility

5
/10

Population: 2,044
Median Home Value: $102,820
Median Income: $28,225
Unemployment Rate: 7.4%

9. Earle

Earle, AR

Source: Wikipedia User Thomas R Machnitzki | GFDL
Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,759
Median Home Value: $59,922
Median Income: $41,484
Unemployment Rate: 17.0%

10. Diaz

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,103
Median Home Value: $89,885
Median Income: $46,286
Unemployment Rate: 14.0%

Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Arkansas is lousy or not?

To rank the worst small towns to live in Arkansas, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.

We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.

Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:

  • Population Density (The lower, the worse)
  • Highest Unemployment Rates
  • Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
  • Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
  • Education (Number of high school dropouts)
  • High Crime

We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 138 to be exact.

We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.

We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Arkansas.

There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Arkansas

If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Natural State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The worst small towns in Arkansas are Eudora, Marked Tree, Dermott, Brinkley, Luxora, Hughes, Altus, Kensett, Earle, and Diaz.

If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Arkansas, according to science:

  1. Lavaca (Pop. 2,467)
  2. Johnson (Pop. 3,605)
  3. Lake Hamilton (Pop. 2,031)

For more Arkansas reading, check out:

Worst Small Towns In Arkansas

Rank Town Population Unemployment Rate Home Value Median Income
1 Eudora 2,161 19.3% $52,414 $26,942
2 Marked Tree 2,321 6.7% $79,075 $35,087
3 Dermott 2,655 18.0% $50,616 $23,537
4 Brinkley 2,693 19.6% $105,028 $35,087
5 Luxora 1,004 9.9% $29,815 $25,263
6 Hughes 1,051 5.9% $85,765 $26,250
7 Altus 1,008 9.7% $132,021 $37,768
8 Kensett 2,044 7.4% $102,820 $28,225
9 Earle 1,759 17.0% $59,922 $41,484
10 Diaz 1,103 14.0% $89,885 $46,286
11 Hamburg 2,792 8.3% $95,507 $30,134
12 Stamps 1,481 19.7% $72,182 $28,720
13 Marvell 1,100 17.2% $52,307 $51,293
14 Marianna 3,575 21.1% $71,916 $21,057
15 Waldron 3,375 10.8% $123,041 $39,750
16 North Crossett 2,751 4.7% $80,734 $40,504
17 Clarendon 1,366 11.0% $79,753 $27,065
18 Newark 1,421 3.0% $131,114 $33,103
19 Glenwood 1,739 1.9% $177,144 $33,958
20 Dumas 3,965 9.0% $84,975 $34,554
21 Ozark 3,546 11.7% $148,157 $41,816
22 Hoxie 2,623 7.1% $90,141 $33,354
23 Lepanto 1,706 8.8% $82,115 $40,335
24 Mansfield 1,326 9.6% $148,062 $43,235
25 Mcgehee 3,812 1.4% $61,333 $34,917
26 Marshall 1,384 3.3% $113,653 $28,290
27 Mcalmont 1,584 46.9% $227,234 $30,517
28 Foreman 1,214 10.8% $96,562 $38,266
29 Horseshoe Bend 2,423 16.2% $134,015 $38,750
30 Danville 2,384 6.4% $140,242 $61,726
31 Waldo 1,375 0.0% $63,188 $34,844
32 Bald Knob 2,548 6.7% $138,476 $47,917
33 Murfreesboro 1,703 7.1% $142,365 $37,206
34 Calico Rock 1,822 4.5% $164,882 $36,667
35 Dewitt 3,017 9.2% $86,501 $47,147
36 Decatur 1,491 3.5% $236,187 $39,886
37 Landmark 3,620 4.5% $139,629 $47,742
38 Mccrory 1,738 3.4% $119,752 $40,568
39 Salem 1,483 1.0% $141,982 $32,853
40 Nashville 4,156 10.0% $151,946 $39,836
41 Prescott 3,079 5.6% $115,089 $29,899
42 Leachville 2,132 4.1% $134,230 $31,607
43 Lamar 1,731 2.9% $172,757 $41,188
44 Clinton 2,508 2.6% $154,761 $42,292
45 Gurdon 1,756 5.0% $96,930 $39,625
46 Corning 3,202 7.0% $80,473 $41,607
47 Piney 4,563 5.9% $134,966 $45,000
48 Dover 1,800 5.3% $188,326 $30,764
49 Mountain View 2,868 0.0% $186,830 $23,458
50 Caraway 1,174 4.9% $77,544 $47,679
51 Paris 3,214 7.6% $130,431 $45,505
52 Crossett 4,805 4.6% $80,444 $41,250
53 Des Arc 1,400 3.1% $87,360 $29,226
54 Booneville 3,819 8.4% $105,665 $46,182
55 Swifton 1,198 12.3% $68,364 $53,214
56 Mount Ida 1,410 7.1% $214,411 $42,778
57 Rector 1,793 5.9% $76,816 $40,772
58 Lonoke 4,261 13.0% $186,556 $46,786
59 Melbourne 2,430 5.9% $155,187 $41,938
60 Marmaduke 1,513 5.8% $139,965 $48,021
61 Bay 2,392 6.6% $122,891 $58,036
62 Fordyce 3,386 8.7% $87,365 $35,116
63 Cave City 2,038 4.3% $155,091 $40,441
64 Yellville 1,159 12.5% $195,202 $33,983
65 Harrisburg 2,700 6.5% $128,058 $48,008
66 Alexander 3,444 7.7% $255,001 $68,431
67 Ash Flat 1,349 3.7% $132,346 $39,632
68 Mulberry 1,616 3.3% $159,795 $41,932
69 Hampton 1,354 6.1% $97,175 $55,417
70 Huntsville 2,973 5.9% $224,111 $48,478
71 Carlisle 2,329 6.2% $167,448 $35,769
72 Wrightsville 1,382 1.6% $81,470 $34,063
73 Gassville 2,466 8.6% $178,038 $46,392
74 Judsonia 2,204 1.7% $157,116 $41,232
75 Monette 1,346 4.6% $119,340 $47,684
76 Lake Village 2,084 5.5% $143,184 $42,143
77 Flippin 1,366 9.4% $212,932 $38,686
78 Green Forest 3,033 3.4% $170,946 $48,587
79 Atkins 2,865 6.2% $147,941 $51,643
80 Perryville 1,302 3.9% $131,101 $53,929
81 Little Flock 3,019 8.6% $436,257 $55,035
82 Tuckerman 1,654 3.7% $76,359 $47,321
83 London 1,113 4.7% $186,099 $50,750
84 Bono 2,497 10.2% $182,987 $48,611
85 Lake City 2,389 8.3% $144,412 $56,414
86 Piggott 3,610 3.0% $111,717 $43,255
87 Mineral Springs 1,291 4.2% $118,220 $39,886
88 Smackover 1,975 4.4% $108,364 $52,500
89 Lincoln 2,754 4.1% $223,620 $50,625
90 Dardanelle 4,544 6.8% $157,406 $47,724
91 Cedarville 1,548 1.2% $203,710 $50,866
92 England 2,562 5.5% $114,312 $53,036
93 Sulphur Springs 1,119 0.0% $199,237 $32,275
94 Mammoth Spring 1,037 3.6% $147,731 $39,118
95 West Crossett 1,196 2.9% $113,985 $58,906
96 Kibler 1,141 4.3% $201,713 $76,667
97 Barling 4,833 4.0% $172,561 $50,289
98 Hazen 1,738 3.3% $140,242 $47,209
99 Eureka Springs 2,053 1.1% $291,827 $40,972
100 Augusta 1,995 6.0% $68,404 $51,535
About Nick Johnson

Nick Johnson earned his masters in Business Administration from the Drucker School At Claremont Graduate University. He has written for 39 publications across the country and ran the media relations department at Movoto, a real estate portal based in San Francisco. He has been featured in over 500 publications as an expert in real estate and as an authority on real estate trends.

Nick's the creator of the HomeSnacks YouTube channel that now has over 260,000 subscribers and is an excellent source to learn about different parts of the country.

6 thoughts on “The 10 Worst Small Towns In Arkansas For 2024

  1. What about Timbo, ar? I didn’t see it on the list and I got excited someone was doing small towns in Arkansas but I didn’t see it on the big list!!

  2. I grew up in Pyatt. I graduated from high school. I moved away. I wish I hadn’t of. I love Pyatt.

  3. My grandparent’s lived in Pyatt (Eunice and Tinnie Markle) about 1965. I have fond memories visiting a little grocery store with him before we went fishing at a local creek. They lived on the main road going into town from the hwy. The house was on the right and had a steep driveway with a hard u turn. One day the brakes went out on the old Ford pick up and we flew straight into the garden. The only other memory was of a little gas station on the main hwy where I went to get candy. It was a boring town back then and everybody was in everybody else’s personal business. I guess it was because there wasn’t anything else to do.

  4. I am Glad Twist Arkansas did not make the list . The home of blues legend B B KING’S famous guitar LUCILE. The original one that started the Guitar Legend !

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