Low cost of living leads to a less stressful lifes
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11/14/2018
I moved to LR about three years ago and surely has made it home. I lived in places like South Florida, Phoenix and Baltimore and by far LR is the most simplest place among the three.
The Pros somewhat outweighs the cons depending on your lifestyle and the way one view life. Here is my synopsis:
Pros:
LR healthcare. LR has a plenty to choose from when it comes to adequate healthcare. I live within 3 miles of hospitals, CARTI cancer center, Arkansas Heart Hospital. There are also adequate Urgent Care facilities throughout LR. The state participates in Obamacare. Medicaid is free for those who work and is below the poverty line. For a southern state surrounded by other deep red States to have Obamacare is a blessing and can somewhat illustrate the moderate conservative attitude Arkansas has.
Most people who live in LR can get to anyplace 20 minutes or less. We have highways that smoothly get one from one part of town to another. Street maintenance is pretty good. There are some potholes but no where as bad as other cities such as Baltimore. LR does a good job maintaining the highways and keeping them clean.
The job market is healthy especially on the retail side. Mainly all stores are hiring and to give you an idea of the retail landscape Target is hiring starting at $12 an hour.
I am retired so the cost of living is low and your dollar will go far here. If you own a house your dollar will go further. Food, gas, utilities are cheap. Premiums with Obamacare is affordable. Social Security Benefits are NOT taxed. Real Estate taxes are very low and affordable.
Politics are moderate conservative despite the fact the state is a deep red state. Arkansas is one if the few southern states where you can forget you are in the deep South. It's a reason Trump hasn't held a rally in or near LR. Yes he may have more success in Northern Arkansas than in Central Arkansas.
Race relations are not bad but could always improve. I rarely see a Confederate flag in LR. Yes one side of town have mostly white folks and blacks live around Hispanics and a few liberal white folks but don't mistake that as being so terrible. I live in a neighborhood that is mostly black but people tend to take care of their properties and mind their business. Living in the John Barrow area is the best of both worlds. It's affordable here yet I am close to hospitals, better Supermarkets on Chanal and access to major highways that can take to the outlets in 15 min or less or Whole Food in ten minutes or less. I think it is one of the underrated areas of town. Plenty of parks a respected high school, and a few moments and pop restaurants to support. No it clearly isn't as trendy as the heights but one day for that type if lifestyle via rent and a mortgage.
Most people here tend to open up especially if they see you often. One can easily have a good conversation at a grocery store, hair salon or at Target. There are some rude people. It's about 60/40 with the majority being pleasant and respectful.
The CONS living here are the drivers. This bears repeating so read carefully. The driving is absolutely horrible. Same nice people in stores not too much when doing a two ton vehicle. People will cut you off, speed up if you use a blinker, run red lights, ride you from close behind etc etc. What I failed to mention that car insurance is NOT cheap and as much as I hate to admit it, rightfully so. It is also easy to get a cracked windshield in Arkansas so it will be a matter of time before your windshield is cracked. Also a significant number of cars have dents which goes to show you that the drivers here are BAD. Just look around.
Crime. For a city that people say are crime infested I tend to believe it is very localized to the Southern part of the city. If one was to stay in West LR there is little to no crime. Start heading south things change quickly. The looks if people change as well. Try to stay by the heights, north of University near the West or out West to avoid violent crime. Petty theft and car theft is prevalent no matter where you live but the key is stay diligent about locking up valuables and alert of surrounding s.
LR is NOT a night city. When night comes you see fewer whites and stores close at 9. If you need gas past midnight and you don't live in the hood good luck! Thank goodness for Waffle House and Walmart because they are the only stores opened late night. Well the Wal Mart located in South Little Rock close at midnight (draw your own conclusions).
Weather: More sunny days than not. Unbearable months are from the beginning of June until late August. Extremely humid and uncomfortable if one is outside. Southern people in Arkansas aren't so nice when sweating bullets. Beware. Tempers are short and so is conversation. Witers are moderate with no more than two snowstorms a winter which totals 3 inches or less. Consistent rain can help cool it down in summer and warm it up in the 2 winter months when temps can dip below freezing. We get four nice seasons and mostly everyone is shocked to find how green the natural state is. If Arkansas wasn't a flyover state it would get more live but the cost if living would be higher due to popularity
Overall LR is for the couple or family or retired that want to live a simple life where cost if living is cheap, where there are plenty of churches and about a combined 8.5 months of decent not so hot weather.
Derrick | Little Rock, AR