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Bay vs Newark

50 miles apart. The biggest differences: rent (+55% in Bay) and street grid (2.2× in Newark).

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Bay, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 2,333 people
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Newark, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,637 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

BayOne of the healthiest towns
Health81% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$143K typical home37% below the AR typical home History29 archive photos & papers29 archive photos, postcards and papers All about Bay →
NewarkOne of the healthiest towns
Health95% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 21%of AR districts Housing$158K typical home30% below the AR typical home All about Newark →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Rent+55%
Rent runs higher in Bay
Bay $1,028Newark $662
Street grid2.2×
Newark has the more walkable street grid
Newark 66.0Bay 30.5
Jobs per worker2×
Newark is more of a job hub
Newark 0.64Bay 0.32
Average commute8 min
Bay has the shorter commute
Newark 24 minBay 17 min
★ What stands out · Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Arkansas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
BBaySafer than 59% of U.S. towns –NewarkNot graded
Schools
C+BayBetter than 44% of districts in the state C−NewarkBetter than 21% of districts in the state
Health
C−BayHealthier than 19% of U.S. towns DNewarkHealthier than 5% of U.S. towns
Monthly cost

A typical home costs about the same each month

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Bay$820/mo
Typical home $143K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $1,028/mo · Housing →
Newark$930/mo
Typical home $158K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.74% · or rent about $662/mo · Housing →

The difference: $110 a month, about $1,300 a year, between Newark and Bay.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
BayNewark
Snow a year4″3″
January low27°F30°F
July high90°F89°F
Growing season (days)215d240d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)80th80th
Outdoors & history
BayNewark
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
National Register places—1
Archive photos295
Famous people born here13
Community
BayNewark
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

50 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

BayARNewarkAR
Bay ↔ Newark50 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

BayNewark
People
Population 2,333Highest 1,637Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +4.2%Highest AR: +3.3% +0.3%Lowest AR: +3.3%
Median age 31.6±5.9Lowest 18% below AR 32±5.2Highest 17% below AR
Newark and Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 33.6%±3.3Highest AR: 23.1% 27.2%±6.3Lowest AR: 23.1%
Bay and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 11.7%±4.1Lowest AR: 17.6% 14.7%±3Highest AR: 17.6%
Newark and Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.6%Highest AR: 25.7% 7.2%Lowest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.5%±0.9Lowest AR: 5.1% 4%±3.2Highest AR: 5.1%
Newark and Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $59,769±$9kHighest about the AR average $40,417±$12kLowest 33% below AR
Bay and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $118,400±$12kHighest 37% below AR $96,300±$23kLowest 49% below AR
Bay and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $1,028±$95Highest 9% above AR $662±$212Lowest 30% below AR
Property taxmedian, yearly $683Lowest 34% below AR $713Highest 31% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 23.4%±2.5Lowest AR: 44.8% 43.9%±29.6Highest AR: 44.8%
Newark and Bay are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 14.8%Lowest AR: 16% 29.5%Highest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 47.8%Lowest AR: 66.4% 52.7%Highest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1977Lowest 10 yrs older than AR 1983Highest 4 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 17 minLowest 26% below AR 24 minHighest 8% above AR
Work from home 6.9%±7.7Highest AR: 8.8% 0.5%±0.8Lowest AR: 8.8%
Bay and Newark are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 2.1%Lowest 2.8%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 9.8 miLowest 12.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.32Lowest 0.64Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Jonesboro (50%)Batesville (41%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in NewarkFew work in Bay
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.2 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 30.5Lowest 66.0Highest
Schools
School district BAY SCHOOL DISTRICTCEDAR RIDGE SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Bay High SchoolCedar Ridge High School
Students per teacherat that high school 9.2Highest 5.1Lowest
Arkansas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Bay neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Bay’s Town Square.

Newark neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Newark’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Bay and Newark

One tap adds it. Up to 4 towns at once.

Bordering Bay

+ Compare
Jonesboro80,137 people · $223K homes

Towns like Bay

D
+ Compare
Danville2,289 people · $123K homes
+ Compare
Bono2,657 people · $162K homes
+ Compare
Flippin1,334 people · $114K homes
+ Compare
Booneville3,798 people · $112K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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