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

DLonokeSafer than 10% of U.S. towns CBarlingSafer than 34% of U.S. towns

Schools

CLonokeBetter than 32% of districts in the state BBarlingBetter than 58% of districts in the state

Health

DLonokeHealthier than 15% of U.S. towns CBarlingHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns

6Lonoke

13Barling

Lists won, of 20 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Most walkableOutdoors · 127 towns #16#115 Cheapest rentCost of living · 126 towns #31#105 Best schoolsSchools · 113 towns #78#28 Shortest commuteGetting around · 127 towns #84#30 SafestSafety · 106 towns #78#34 Most educatedPeople · 127 towns #107#59 Lowest obesityHealth · 127 towns #53#7 Most remote workersWork · 126 towns #78#36

Left end = #1 in Arkansas. Showing the lists where the towns are furthest apart. All of Lonoke’s rankings →

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.

Down paymentRate%

Lonoke$1,240/mo

Typical home $205K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.95% · or rent about $757/mo · Housing →

Barling$1,180/mo

Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.82% · or rent about $1,128/mo · Housing →

The difference: $60 a month, about $700 a year, between Lonoke and Barling.

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

LonokeBarling

Snow a year3″3″

January low31°F 30°F

July high90°F 94°F

Growing season (days)235d 224d

Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)70th 46th

Outdoors & history

LonokeBarling

Trails1 mi 4 mi

Conserved land1.3%4.5%

Settled1872 1956

National Register places19 —

Archive photos11 6

Famous people born here14 1

Community

LonokeBarling

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

139 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

LonokeAR BarlingAR

Lonoke ↔ Barling139 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

LonokeBarling

People

Population 4,267Lowest 5,007Highest

Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +0.7%Lowest AR: +3.3% +2.9%Highest AR: +3.3%

Median age 43.1±5.7Highest 12% above AR 42.5±4.6Lowest 10% above AR

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

Kids under 18 21.6%±6.2Highest AR: 23.1% 18.3%±4.1Lowest AR: 23.1%

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

Age 65+ 19.2%±4.1Lowest AR: 17.6% 19.8%±4.5Highest AR: 17.6%

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

Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 12.9%Lowest AR: 25.7% 21.1%Highest AR: 25.7%

Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.2%±1.1Lowest AR: 5.1% 7.2%±3Highest AR: 5.1%

Cost of living

Household incomemedian $47,524±$3kLowest 22% below AR $54,387±$8kHighest 11% below AR

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

Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $106,800±$32kLowest 43% below AR $140,000±$19kHighest 26% below AR

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

Rentmedian gross, monthly $757±$252Lowest 20% below AR $1,128±$130Highest 19% above AR

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

Property taxmedian, yearly $1,013Lowest about the AR average $1,143Highest 10% above AR

Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 22.8%±10.4Lowest AR: 44.8% 38.1%±20.1Highest AR: 44.8%

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

Below poverty line 18.2%Highest AR: 16% 15.1%Lowest AR: 16%

Housing

Homeownersof occupied homes 75.8%Highest AR: 66.4% 72.4%Lowest AR: 66.4%

Typical home builtmedian year 1983Lowest 4 yrs older than AR 1988Highest 1 yr newer than AR

Getting to work

Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 4% above AR 18 minLowest 20% below AR

Work from home 4.4%±3.3Lowest AR: 8.8% 9%±3.9Highest AR: 8.8%

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

Work in townworking residents 16.2%Highest 2%Lowest

Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 20.3 miHighest 6.8 miLowest

Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.06Highest 0.32Lowest

Top workplaceoutside town Little Rock (25%)Fort Smith (59%)

Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BarlingFew work in Lonoke

Outdoors

Conserved landshare of the town 1.3%Lowest 4.5%Highest

Trailsmapped miles 0.5 miLowest 3.6 miHighest

Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.1 miLowest 0.3 miHighest

Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3 3

Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 65.8Highest 22.0Lowest

Schools

Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #78 of 113 in AR #28 of 113 in AR

School district LONOKE SCHOOL DISTRICTFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT

High school in town Lonoke High SchoolNone in town

Students per teacherat that high school 8.6 —

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.

Lonoke neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Lonoke’s Town Square.

Barling neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Barling’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Lonoke and Barling

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

Towns like Lonoke

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Fordyce3,268 people · $93K homes

Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Arkansas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

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.

Lonoke vs Barling

Two towns, two different strengths

Where they part ways

Barling places higher on 13 of 20 AR lists

A typical home costs about the same each month

What daily life feels like in each

139 miles apart

What matters to you?

Ask the people who live there

Set another town beside Lonoke and Barling

Towns like Lonoke

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