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Marmaduke vs Rison

185 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+37.2 pts in Marmaduke) and trails (5× in Marmaduke).

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Marmaduke, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,240 people
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Rison, ARA regional job hubArkansas · 1,019 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.

MarmadukeOne of the healthiest towns
Health87% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$170K typical home25% below the AR typical home All about Marmaduke →
RisonA regional job hub
Work524 jobsbased in Rison, a regional job hub Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates HistorySettled in 18837 places on the National Register All about Rison →
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.

Growth since 2010+37.2 pts
Marmaduke has grown faster since 2010
Marmaduke +9.1%Rison -28.1%
Trails5×
Marmaduke has more miles of trail
Marmaduke 1.0 miRison 0.2 mi
Rent+48%
Rent runs higher in Marmaduke
Marmaduke $748Rison $505
Jobs per worker+93%
Rison is more of a job hub
Rison 1.56Marmaduke 0.81
Street grid+70%
Marmaduke has the more walkable street grid
Marmaduke 69.7Rison 41.1
Seasonal homes+13 pts
Rison has more second homes
Rison 13%Marmaduke 0%
★ 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
B−MarmadukeSafer than 46% of U.S. towns –RisonNot graded
Schools
B−MarmadukeBetter than 46% of districts in the state A−RisonBetter than 76% of districts in the state
Health
DMarmadukeHealthier than 13% of U.S. towns DRisonHealthier than 6% 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.

Marmaduke$980/mo
Typical home $170K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.60% · or rent about $748/mo · Housing →
Rison$980/mo
Typical home $174K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.51% · or rent about $505/mo · Housing →

Within $50 a month of each other.

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
MarmadukeRison
Snow a year3″1″
January low28°F31°F
July high90°F91°F
Growing season (days)227d226d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)77th54th
Outdoors & history
MarmadukeRison
Trails1 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled19091883
National Register places—7
Archive photos—8
Famous people born here14
Community
MarmadukeRison
Library hours a week—41 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

185 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

MarmadukeARRisonAR
Marmaduke ↔ Rison185 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.

MarmadukeRison
People
Population 1,240Highest 1,019Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +9.1%Highest AR: +3.3% -28.1%Lowest AR: +3.3%
Median age 37.5±6.7 about the AR average 37.5±11.3 about the AR average
Kids under 18 23.5%±1.7Lowest AR: 23.1% 27.1%±9.7Highest AR: 23.1%
Rison and Marmaduke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22%±10.9Highest AR: 17.6% 21.9%±4.4Lowest AR: 17.6%
Marmaduke and Rison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 13.9%Lowest AR: 25.7% 16%Highest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 2.5%±2.2Lowest AR: 5.1% 3.4%±4.2Highest AR: 5.1%
Rison and Marmaduke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,250±$16kHighest 16% below AR $35,855±$16kLowest 41% below AR
Marmaduke and Rison are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $112,200±$10kLowest 40% below AR $115,500±$20kHighest 39% below AR
Rison and Marmaduke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $748±$151Highest 21% below AR $505±$41Lowest 47% below AR
Property taxmedian, yearly $672Highest 35% below AR $588Lowest 43% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 47.9%±22.9Lowest AR: 44.8% 60.9%±61.8Highest AR: 44.8%
Rison and Marmaduke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 23.7%Lowest AR: 16% 46.3%Highest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 47.8%Lowest AR: 66.4% 49.3%Highest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1981Highest 6 yrs older than AR 1976Lowest 11 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 6% below AR 22 minHighest about the AR average
Work from home 0.8%±1.6Lowest AR: 8.8% 2.2%±3.9Highest AR: 8.8%
Rison and Marmaduke are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 8%Lowest 13.7%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 13.3 miLowest 22.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.81Lowest 1.56Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Paragould (33%)Pine Bluff (25%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RisonFew work in Marmaduke
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miHighest 0.2 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.7 miHighest 0.1 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 3Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 69.7Highest 41.1Lowest
Schools
School district MARMADUKE SCHOOL DISTRICTCLEVELAND COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Marmaduke High SchoolRison High School
Students per teacherat that high school 4.4Lowest 9.5Highest
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.

Marmaduke neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Marmaduke’s Town Square.

Rison neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rison’s Town Square.

Add a town

Set another town beside Marmaduke and Rison

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

Towns like Marmaduke

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Mansfield1,204 people · $114K homes
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Flippin1,334 people · $114K homes
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Hackett1,118 people · $137K homes
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Marvell1,160 people · $58K 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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