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Emerson vs Viola

238 miles apart. The biggest differences: average commute (16 min in Emerson) and street grid (2.3× in Emerson).

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Emerson, ARKnown for its schoolsArkansas · 239 people

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Viola, ARKnown for its schoolsArkansas · 384 people

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.

EmersonKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 96%of AR districts All about Emerson →

ViolaKnown for its schools

SchoolsBetter than 79%of AR districts All about Viola →

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.

Average commute16 min

Emerson has the shorter commute

Viola 35 minEmerson 19 min

Street grid2.3×

Emerson has the more walkable street grid

Emerson 30.5Viola 13.4

Seasonal homes+15.9 pts

Emerson has more second homes

Emerson 17.6%Viola 1.7%

Jobs per worker+92%

Viola is more of a job hub

Viola 1.02Emerson 0.53

Work in town+9.3 pts

More of Viola’s workers stay in town

Viola 9.3%Emerson 0%

★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $630 more a month in Viola

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.

Down paymentRate%

Emerson$690/mo

Typical home $102K (Census) · tax rate est. 1.8% · or rent about $781/mo · Housing →

Viola$1,320/mo

Typical home $229K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.62% · or rent about $733/mo · Housing →

The difference: $630 a month, about $7,600 a year, between Viola and Emerson.

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

A+EmersonBetter than 96% of districts in the state A−ViolaBetter than 79% of districts in the state

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

EmersonViola

Snow a year2″5″

January low31°F 25°F

July high92°F 90°F

Growing season (days)218d 204d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)63rd 86th

Outdoors & history

EmersonViola

Trails1 mi —

Conserved land0%—

Settled1905 —

Famous people born here2 —

Community

EmersonViola

Library hours a week—38 hrs

Posts this month0 0

Neighbors joined0 0

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

238 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

EmersonAR ViolaAR

Emerson ↔ Viola238 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.

Only big differences vs Arkansas average

EmersonViola

People

Population 239Lowest 384Highest

Median age 33.1±11Highest 14% below AR 31.9±19.2Lowest 17% below AR

Emerson and Viola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Kids under 18 28.5%±20.5Lowest AR: 23.1% 33.3%±10.9Highest AR: 23.1%

Viola and Emerson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Age 65+ 13%±12.9Lowest AR: 17.6% 16.7%±5.9Highest AR: 17.6%

Viola and Emerson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 15%Highest AR: 25.7% 7.8%Lowest AR: 25.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.3%±5.8Lowest AR: 5.1% 3.1%±3.8Highest AR: 5.1%

Viola and Emerson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $55,938±$27kHighest 8% below AR $41,250±$6kLowest 32% below AR

Emerson and Viola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $101,800±$35kLowest 46% below AR $107,200±$25kHighest 43% below AR

Viola and Emerson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Rentmedian gross, monthly $781±$243Highest 18% below AR $733±$138Lowest 23% below AR

Emerson and Viola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Property taxmedian, yearly — $662 36% below AR

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 35.5%±77Lowest AR: 44.8% 54.3%±36.3Highest AR: 44.8%

Viola and Emerson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Below poverty line 34.7%Highest AR: 16% 16.9%Lowest AR: 16%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 65.2%Highest AR: 66.4% 64.2%Lowest AR: 66.4%

Typical home builtmedian year 1973Lowest 14 yrs older than AR 1977Highest 10 yrs older than AR

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 19 minLowest 18% below AR 35 minHighest 54% above AR

Work from home 4.3%±6.1Highest AR: 8.8% 3.3%±3.9Lowest AR: 8.8%

Emerson and Viola are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.

Work in townworking residents 0%Lowest 9.3%Highest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 22.8 miLowest 23.3 miHighest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.53Lowest 1.02Highest

Top workplaceoutside town Magnolia (28%)Mountain Home (25%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in ViolaFew work in Emerson

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%

Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 30.5Highest 13.4Lowest

Schools

School district EMERSON TAYLOR BRADLEY SCHOOL DISTRICTVIOLA SCHOOL DISTRICT

High school in town Emerson High SchoolViola High School

Students per teacherat that high school 5.9Highest 3.9Lowest

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.

Emerson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Emerson’s Town Square.

Viola neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Viola’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Emerson and Viola

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

Towns like Emerson

Oil Trough259 people · $83K homes

Mount Vernon182 people · $104K homes

Ravenden390 people · $95K homes

Donaldson377 people · $85K 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.