Arkansas of course - Arkadelphia, AR off Interstate 30, one hour south of Little Rock. Arkadelphia offers two colleges, Baptist Health surgical hospital, DeGray Lake, and beautiful forested hills. Our cost of living is low, real estate is low and so are our taxes. Visit us soon, spring is the most beautiful time of year in Arkansas!

I have worked as an over the road Truck driver and also lived many places and traveled leisurely. I can tell you that most persons are most comfortable with what they are used to. It's exciting to visit and even live other places, I always find myself packing back to Arkansas where in my opinion the weather is perfect and the scenery divine. I live in Conway which has a wonderful mix for all ages to enjoy and the shopping is supreme compared to most communities that can consider themselves seperate from Little Rock Metro. I think the most important thing to point out is that Central Arkansas while suffering like the rest of the country by no means is feeling the sharp jab of the failing economy. My community specifically has managed to reign in new industry recently and we are still growing and enjoying the boom of the natural gas industry. Real Estate is very reasonably priced here compared to many areas of the country and the market is still stable protecting the value of your investment in the future. I am not a professional trying to sell you something, instead I am a happy Arkansan telling you why I choose to live in Arkansas and why maybe you should consider it. Obviously this guy has probably all ready made his choice given the date of this post, but for future readers who are asking the same question here it is.

After living in Tennessee and Arkansas I can tell you it is more area specific. Bella Vista is a wonderful retirement area full of lakes and golf courses, beautiful hills and quick access to shopping needs. Memphis would be a no, Nashville area...maybe...just depends on what you like. Probably if it were up to me I would go with Hot Springs or Bella Vista...want info on these towns...shoot me an e-mail at jason.smith@crye-leike.com.

Have you considered Harrison, Ar. Beautiful town.

Hi Evelyn, There are many factors to consider when making this major decision. Go to http://www.hsvpoa.org and you will see what Hot Springs Village has to offer at very affordable prices. Right now you can pick up townhouses starting in the $60s and homes in the $70s. You want to Live - not just Exist!

I have efficiency condos at Fairfield Bay, Arkansas starting at $400,00 a month. Great retirement community. Outdoor pools, Golfing, inexpensive meals.

Hi Evelyn,
I answered before and thought I would follow up to see if you had made any decision to come and visit Arkansas. Our company managed rentals for short and long term visitors. see our sit below

If you like hot humid weather, these are the states for you. If you like moderate weather, try Virginia or North Carolina.

Central Arkansas, specifically Conway, is a WONDERFUL place to live. Our average age is 25. We have 3 universities in town, and outstanding churches. I'd love to tell you more. Just ask!

I love GA but I guess if I had to choose between those two, I would pick Tn.

I Love Arkansas. Specifically, Northwest Arkansas! It is going to be tough to live off of 1900 alone if you pick the larger cities (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville) However, I think you will find plenty of housing opportunities in Bella Vista, Prairie Grove, & some of the other "surrounding" areas.
Here is a ton of info about us!
NWA Weather
* Current Weather Conditions In Fayetteville, AR (72701) - http://www.weather.com/weather/local/USAR0189?cm_pla=city_pa…

Cities of NWA!

* Bella Vista, AR - http://www.beautifulbellavista.com/
* Bentonville, AR - http://www.bentonvillearkansas.com/
* Farmington, AR - http://www.cityoffarmingtonar.com/
* Fayetteville, AR - http://www.accessfayetteville.org/
* Lowell, AR - http://www.lowellarkansas.gov/
* Prairie Grove, AR - http://www.arkansasusa.com/city/pg/pgrove.html
* Rogers, AR - http://www.rogersarkansas.com/
* Springdale, AR - http://www.springdaleark.org/

Chambers of NWA!

* Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber - http://www.bentonvillebellavistachamber.com/
* Fayetteville Chamber - http://www.fayettevillear.com/
* Rogers-Lowell Chamber - http://www.rogerslowell.com/
* Springdale Chamber - http://www.springdale.com/

NEWS Outlets

* NWA News - http://www.nwanews.com/
* NWA Real Estate News - http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/industry.aspx?cID=h
* Razorback News - http://www.hogwired.com/

When you decide, contact me and I can send you everything currently on the market that matches your criteria.
Also, I know Kevin right below me had good intentions, but the housing data for Northwest Arkansas on Trulia, Zillow, & and the like is wildly inaccurate!

Give me a call if I can help!

Living clear across the country here in CA, I have absolutely no idea! Having said that, a good place to start is right here on Trulia, where you can easily compare home prices across cities, counties, and states.

http://www.trulia.com/home_prices/Arkansas/
http://www.trulia.com/home_prices/Tennessee/

Hi Evelyn, I work for Century 21 HSV Realty in Hot Springs Village, AR. I'm retired military so it was important to me to find a low cost of living community that would stretch my retirement income. Arkansas is just the right place for my wife and I. Our community has nine golf courses, 12 lakes, 20 miles of hiking trails, a fitness center with indoor pool and three lane walking track, library, community center, professional tennis center, and a 650 seat performing arts center. Arkansas is ranked 49th in total taxes, so it is very good in that regard. See http://www.hsvpoa.org

You probably want to contact a real estate professional in the specific cities you're considering. Once you get an idea of the average home price, I would go to one of the many places online where you can use a mortgage calculator to figure your housing costs. Another great resource would be http://www.census.gov to check out cost of living information and home prices. You can also contact the Chambers of Commerce in those areas for more details. I hope this helps!