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Compare towns

Paris vs Barling

31 miles apart. The biggest differences: jobs per worker (4.2× in Paris) and rent (+76% in Barling).

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Paris, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 3,284 people
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Barling, ARHomes around $199KArkansas · 5,007 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.

ParisOne of the healthiest towns
Health83% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Schools#41 for schools in ARof 113 towns Housing$157K typical home31% below the AR typical home All about Paris →
BarlingHomes around $199K
Housing$199K typical home13% below the AR typical home Outdoors#12 most conserved land in AR3.6 miles of trails across 3 parks and preserves Schools#28 for schools in ARof 113 towns All about Barling →
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.

Jobs per worker4.2×
Paris is more of a job hub
Paris 1.34Barling 0.32
Rent+76%
Rent runs higher in Barling
Barling $1,128Paris $641
Trails3.6×
Barling has more miles of trail
Barling 3.6 miParis 1.0 mi
Property tax bill+65%
Tax bills are bigger in Barling
Barling $1,143Paris $692
Street grid2.5×
Paris has the more walkable street grid
Paris 55.8Barling 22.0
Growth since 2010+13 pts
Barling has grown faster since 2010
Barling +2.9%Paris -10.1%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $280 more a month in Barling

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.

Paris$900/mo
Typical home $157K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.56% · or rent about $641/mo · Housing →
Barling$1,180/mo
Typical home $199K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.82% · or rent about $1,128/mo · Housing →

The difference: $280 a month, about $3,400 a year, between Barling and Paris.

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

Barling places higher on 15 of 21 AR lists

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
DParisSafer than 7% of U.S. towns CBarlingSafer than 34% of U.S. towns
Schools
B+ParisBetter than 70% of districts in the state BBarlingBetter than 58% of districts in the state
Health
C−ParisHealthier than 17% of U.S. towns CBarlingHealthier than 30% of U.S. towns
6Paris
15Barling

Lists won, of 21 where both are ranked. Ties go to nobody.

Cheapest rentCost of living · 126 towns #9#105 Most new homesHousing · 118 towns #84#12 Most walkableOutdoors · 127 towns #42#115 Shortest commuteGetting around · 127 towns #91#30 SafestSafety · 106 towns #84#34 Closest to a top hospitalHealth · 127 towns #1#60 Most remote workersWork · 126 towns #92#36 Lowest property taxCost of living · 127 towns #43#90

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

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
ParisBarling
Snow a year2″3″
January low29°F30°F
July high92°F94°F
Growing season (days)223d224d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)55th46th
Outdoors & history
ParisBarling
Trails1 mi4 mi
Conserved land1.2%4.5%
Settled18741956
National Register places13—
Archive photos—6
Famous people born here—1
Community
ParisBarling
Library hours a week42 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

31 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ParisARBarlingAR
Paris ↔ Barling31 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.

ParisBarling
People
Population 3,284Lowest 5,007Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -10.1%Lowest AR: +3.3% +2.9%Highest AR: +3.3%
Median age 43.8±5.4Highest 14% above AR 42.5±4.6Lowest 10% above AR
Paris and Barling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 16%±4.7Lowest AR: 23.1% 18.3%±4.1Highest AR: 23.1%
Barling and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 22.6%±5.1Highest AR: 17.6% 19.8%±4.5Lowest AR: 17.6%
Paris and Barling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 18.4%Lowest AR: 25.7% 21.1%Highest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.7%±2.6Lowest AR: 5.1% 7.2%±3Highest AR: 5.1%
Barling and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $51,416±$2kLowest 15% below AR $54,387±$8kHighest 11% below AR
Barling and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $123,200±$36kLowest 34% below AR $140,000±$19kHighest 26% below AR
Barling and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $641±$98Lowest 32% below AR $1,128±$130Highest 19% above AR
Property taxmedian, yearly $692Lowest 33% below AR $1,143Highest 10% above AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.5%±10.5Highest AR: 44.8% 38.1%±20.1Lowest AR: 44.8%
Paris and Barling are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 18.9%Highest AR: 16% 15.1%Lowest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 76.2%Highest AR: 66.4% 72.4%Lowest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1970Lowest 17 yrs older than AR 1988Highest 1 yr newer than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 24 minHighest 7% above AR 18 minLowest 20% below AR
Work from home 3.5%±4.4Lowest AR: 8.8% 9%±3.9Highest AR: 8.8%
Barling and Paris are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 24.8%Highest 2%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 32.8 miHighest 6.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 1.34Highest 0.32Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Fort Smith (15%)Fort Smith (59%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in BarlingFew work in Paris
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 1.2%Lowest 4.5%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 1.0 miLowest 3.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.2 miLowest 0.3 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 4Highest 3Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 55.8Highest 22.0Lowest
Schools
Public school scoresrank in state, math + reading #41 of 113 in AR#28 of 113 in AR
School district PARIS SCHOOL DISTRICTFORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Paris High SchoolNone in town
Students per teacherat that high school 7.8 —
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.

Paris neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Paris’s Town Square.

Barling neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Barling’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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