Arkansas was the top state for inbound movers for the second consecutive year according to a national migration study.
Atlas Van Lines ranked Arkansas as the no. 1 state for the highest percentage of inbound movers in its 2025 Migration Patterns Study. Arkansas was also ranked no. 1 on Atlas Van Lines’ 2024 study.
Inbound movers is a ratio between the number of individuals moving into a state versus moving out of a state. The study showed that Arkansas had a 68.2 percent rate of inbound movers in 2025. This was an increase from 2024’s rate of 65 percent.
The study looked at interstate relocations between November 1, 2024 and October 31, 2025.
Atlas Van Lines used the following methodology to determine each state’s inbound and outbound mover percentages:
Each state’s, province’s, and country’s inbound/outbound status is determined by its threshold value, which is the total number of shipments multiplied by 0.55 (i.e., in a state with 100 moves, at least 55 must be outgoing to be considered outbound). All other states or provinces in which outbound or inbound numbers do not exceed the threshold are classified as balanced. Canadian interprovincial and cross-border (from the U.S. to Canada) shipments are both referenced in the study.
Individuals and families moving to Arkansas have been drawn by the state’s many advantages – from low costs to outdoor amenities to plentiful job opportunities.
Affordability is a key advantage that has driven migration to Arkansas. U.S. News and World Report named Arkansas as the most affordable state in the nation. In addition, Rocket Mortgage announced that Arkansas was the second most affordable state to buy a home.
Visitors quickly realize why Arkansas is known as the “Natural State.” With stunning vistas and pristine waterways, Arkansas offers a wide range of outdoor opportunities from fishing and hunting to canoeing and much more. Northwest Arkansas has become a worldwide attraction for mountain bikers – and Bentonville is now known as the “Mountain Biking Capital of the World.”
Jobseekers can be assured that there are great opportunities in Arkansas. The state is home to four Fortune 500 companies – Walmart, Tyson Foods, J.B. Hunt, and Murphy USA – as well as many large and small companies. The economy in Arkansas is thriving thanks to sound public policy under Governor Sanders’ administration and our low cost framework – and this is helping companies create jobs for Arkansans. For the entrepreneurs, Arkansas was named the no. 3 state to start a new business by Forbes Advisor.
Find out what many have already realized: there’s never been a better time to move to Arkansas.
