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Compare towns

Diaz vs Rector

69 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (13.6× in Rector) and jobs per worker (2.9× in Diaz).

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Diaz, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,337 people
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Rector, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,750 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.

DiazOne of the healthiest towns
Health99% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$110K typical home51% below the AR typical home All about Diaz →
RectorOne of the healthiest towns
Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$142K typical home37% below the AR typical home HistorySettled in 18813 places on the National Register All about Rector →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

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

Street grid13.6×
Rector has the more walkable street grid
Rector 146Diaz 10.8
Jobs per worker2.9×
Diaz is more of a job hub
Diaz 1.30Rector 0.45
Age 65++8.5 pts
Rector has more people 65 and up
Rector 17.6%Diaz 9.1%
Average commute6 min
Diaz has the shorter commute
Rector 25 minDiaz 19 min
Property tax bill+19%
Tax bills are bigger in Diaz
Diaz $509Rector $427
Typical home built13 yrs
Rector’s homes are older
Diaz 1982Rector 1969
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $170 more a month in Rector

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.

Diaz$630/mo
Typical home $110K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.58% · or rent about $869/mo · Housing →
Rector$800/mo
Typical home $142K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.47% · or rent about $667/mo · Housing →

The difference: $170 a month, about $2,000 a year, between Rector and Diaz.

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.

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.

Schools
–DiazNot graded C+RectorBetter than 36% of districts in the state
Health
D−DiazHealthier than 1% of U.S. towns DRectorHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns
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
DiazRector
Snow a year3″3″
January low30°F28°F
July high89°F90°F
Growing season (days)240d227d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)84th85th
Outdoors & history
DiazRector
Trails1 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled—1881
National Register places—3
Archive photos16
Famous people born here—4
Community
DiazRector
Library hours a week—45 hrs
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

69 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

DiazARRectorAR
Diaz ↔ Rector69 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.

DiazRector
People
Population 1,337Lowest 1,750Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -7.1%Lowest AR: +3.3% -5.8%Highest AR: +3.3%
Median age 36±8.4Lowest 6% below AR 37.7±3.7Highest about the AR average
Rector and Diaz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 29%±6.3Highest AR: 23.1% 19.1%±4.8Lowest AR: 23.1%
Diaz and Rector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 9.1%±2.9Lowest AR: 17.6% 17.6%±3.8Highest AR: 17.6%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 19.5%Highest AR: 25.7% 16.5%Lowest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.3%±1.1Lowest AR: 5.1% 3.9%±2.9Highest AR: 5.1%
Rector and Diaz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $49,120±$8kHighest 19% below AR $47,760±$10kLowest 21% below AR
Diaz and Rector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $87,200±$21kLowest 54% below AR $91,300±$24kHighest 51% below AR
Rector and Diaz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $869±$124Highest 8% below AR $667±$183Lowest 30% below AR
Diaz and Rector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $509Highest 51% below AR $427Lowest 59% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 51%±21.1Lowest AR: 44.8% 57%±22.5Highest AR: 44.8%
Rector and Diaz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 25.1%Highest AR: 16% 20.2%Lowest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 63.9%Lowest AR: 66.4% 66.5%Highest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1982Highest 5 yrs older than AR 1969Lowest 18 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 15% below AR 25 minHighest 13% above AR
Work from home 9.6%±11.8Lowest AR: 8.8% 12.3%±9.9Highest AR: 8.8%
Rector and Diaz are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 6.3%Lowest 14.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.8 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.30Highest 0.45Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Newport (36%)Paragould (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RectorFew work in Diaz
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1 1
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 10.8Lowest 146Highest
Schools
School district —RECTOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town —Rector High School
Students per teacherat that high school — 8.8
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.

Diaz neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Diaz’s Town Square.

Rector neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rector’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Diaz and Rector

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

Bordering Diaz

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Newport8,024 people · $163K homes
C
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Campbell Station311 people · $95K homes

Towns like Diaz

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Gurdon1,625 people · $112K homes
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McCrory1,850 people · $89K homes
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Plumerville1,128 people · $122K homes
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Hampton1,037 people · $91K 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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