The state of Arkansas does have a rich natural resource endowment; it is blessed with vast forests, crystal clear water bodies – lakes and rivers, as well as mountains to support numerous outdoor adventures. It is also relatively inexpensive for the state compared to what is generally experienced in most parts of the country.
However, certain regions of Arkansas do have elevated crime rates that can contribute to residents’ anxiety or insecurity, especially homeowners or tenants. I am assuming if you are thinking about relocating to or within Arkansas or perhaps moving around, you may wish to know which cities or towns have high crime rates. Thankfully, there are still many safe areas to live in this state of Arkansas.
What Makes an Arkansas City Safe?
When researching the safest spots in Arkansas, here are some of the key factors to consider:
Rates of violent crime – This is the number of murders, rapes committed, robberies, and aggravated assault. Desirable characteristics of violent crime are thus defined by lower rates.
Criminal charges - This includes offenses such as theft, theft from cars, robbery, and other related mishaps. Police stations where few property crimes have occurred are the safest.
Closeness of people - it is more acceptable to encounter lower crime rates in Arkansas in the rural regions, compared to the more crowded cities.
Socioeconomic characteristics – This implies that features such as poverty level and unemployment can lead to increased crime rates. This means that places with higher median income and higher home values are safer in every sense of the word.
The police force measures – a short response time and more policemen per head of population, which implies better protection.
The Top 10 safest cities in Arkansas
Keeping those factors in mind, here are 10 of the safest cities and places to live in Arkansas:
1. Bella Vista
According to the survey, with a total crime rate of 147, the safest city in Arkansas is Bella Vista located in the far northwestern part of the state. It is as low as 8 violent crimes and 136 property crimes for every 10,000 citizens. Low crime incidence, defined as the higher responsiveness of police officers and the fact that only a tiny percentage of the population lives below the poverty level, make Bella Vista to be an ideal community for safe persons and families.
2. Siloam Springs
Located in the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers metropolitan statistical area, Siloam Springs is among the safest communities in the state. The violent crime rate stands at 2 to every 10,000 people, which is exceptionally low. And the rate of property crime is higher than the national average of property crime. Other categories that have received good ratings include public schools.
3. Bentonville
Bentonville is known to be the home of Walmart and this has experienced fast economic and population growth. The thriving city of northwest Arkansas's violent and property crime rate is significantly below the state and national average. Good schools and facilities are available hence conducive for young families.
4. Cabot
Cabot is a safe city with good schools and is located in Central Arkansas. Its residents exceeding 25,000 are attracted by the well-rated schools, budget-friendly homes, and beautiful parks. The violent and property crime rates reflect only a third of the national average.
5. Fort Smith
The second largest city of Arkansas, Fort Smith has stepped up in recent years to reduce the crime rates by involving the common man and youngsters in policing services. Finally, it seems such efforts might be yielding positive results since violent and property crimes have trended down and are above average.
6. Sherwood
Small communities like Sherwood, located in the north of Little Rock, are least likely to report high cases of criminal activity. Sherwood stated that it has had no incident of murder for the past year and that it has very low rates of violent crimes. Little Rock Air Force Base gives them stability and also acts as a welcoming source of income in the area.
7. Mountain Home
Through extra commitment and passion in the community engaged in Mountain Home, there has been a reduction in the crime rate. Gangland murders are five percent of the national average and other violent crimes are also only one-fifth the national average. Located in the hills of the Ozark Mountain region, this makes for a great view.
8. Hot Springs Village
This CDP is a popular retirement area for those 55 and older, where they can find nicely wooded and lakeside views. As is true in many communities, there is a great deal to do and see and most people do not experience any safety concerns. Crime is almost negligible in its various forms across different categories.
9. Bryant
Bryant is situated halfway between Little Rock and Hot Springs and is a great family destination since it does not have high crime rates and has community parks and trails as well as great schools. The violent crime rate is less than 1 per 10,000 population which is quite low.
10. Maumelle
Being situated adjacent to the Maumelle River with an easy connection to the huge Arkansas River and being located northwest of Little Rock makes Maumelle popular for families due to recreational activities, education facilities, and extremely low crime rates. The incidence of violent and property crimes is only 15% of the national per capita rate. Nature trails help one make a positive shift towards an active lifestyle.
Putting Safety First
Of course, no community can be perfectly protected from crime but the aforementioned cities achieved small population numbers, active residents, fast police reaction time, and moderate levels of wealth to make them some of the safest cities in the Natural State.
