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ChrisLitherlandElDoradoEl Dorado, #1 on this list · Photo: Chris Litherland · CC BY-SA 3.0
Arkansas rankings · Civic life

Towns with the most civic life in Arkansas

El Dorado ranks first on civic life among Arkansas’ 114 towns of 2,500+; 15 of the 114 grade A− or better on civic life nationally.

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. How grades work

#1

El Dorado

Union County · 16,609 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #88 of 123 in AR

#2

Magnolia

Columbia County · 10,660 people
A+

Civic life grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall C · #63 of 123 in AR

#3

Heber Springs

Cleburne County · 7,323 people
A

Civic life grade, better than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #66 of 123 in AR

All 114 towns

Civic life grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 22 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.

114 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.

#TownGradeOverall
1El DoradoUnion County · 16,609 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall D · #88 of 123
2MagnoliaColumbia County · 10,660 peopleA+among the top in the U.S.·Overall C · #63 of 123
3Heber SpringsCleburne County · 7,323 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #66 of 123
4ClarksvilleJohnson County · 9,632 peopleAbetter than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #93 of 123
5ParisLogan County · 3,357 peopleAbetter than 93% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #41 of 123
6MenaPolk County · 5,607 peopleAbetter than 88% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #36 of 123
7HarrisonBoone County · 13,802 peopleAbetter than 86% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #39 of 123
8BerryvilleCarroll County · 5,813 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #99 of 123
9Hot SpringsGarland County · 37,979 peopleA−better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #90 of 123
T10PocahontasRandolph County · 7,622 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #92 of 123
T10RussellvillePope County · 29,521 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #67 of 123
12PrescottNevada County · 2,949 peopleA−better than 77% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #103 of 123
13Prairie GroveWashington County · 8,998 peopleA−better than 76% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #21 of 123
T14CharlestonFranklin County · 2,760 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #29 of 123
T14FayettevilleWashington County · 106,623 peopleA−better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #26 of 123
16CamdenOuachita County · 10,127 peopleB+better than 75% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #111 of 123
17BentonvilleBenton County · 63,057 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #6 of 123
18ClintonVan Buren County · 2,511 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #70 of 123
19Mountain HomeBaxter County · 13,373 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #74 of 123
20MorriltonConway County · 7,195 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #85 of 123
21DeWittArkansas County · 2,791 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #82 of 123
T22HuntsvilleMadison County · 3,576 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #54 of 123
T22Mountain ViewStone County · 2,940 peopleB+better than 69% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #72 of 123
24GravetteBenton County · 3,889 peopleB+better than 67% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #15 of 123
25Pea RidgeBenton County · 11,233 peopleB+better than 66% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #16 of 123
26PottsvillePope County · 3,326 peopleBbetter than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #13 of 123
27Little RockPulaski County · 206,427 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #91 of 123
28SearcyWhite County · 24,351 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #76 of 123
29GreenwoodSebastian County · 9,793 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #12 of 123
30OzarkFranklin County · 3,628 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #64 of 123
T31GentryBenton County · 4,899 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #20 of 123
T31StuttgartArkansas County · 7,525 peopleBbetter than 61% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #110 of 123
33BoonevilleLogan County · 3,836 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #65 of 123
34BrooklandCraighead County · 4,697 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #42 of 123
35ViloniaFaulkner County · 4,894 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #25 of 123
36BentonSaline County · 38,898 peopleBbetter than 60% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #31 of 123
37FarmingtonWashington County · 10,658 peopleBbetter than 59% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #7 of 123
38De QueenSevier County · 6,045 peopleBbetter than 56% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #47 of 123
39PiggottClay County · 3,508 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #60 of 123
T40ArkadelphiaClark County · 9,916 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #68 of 123
T40Walnut RidgeLawrence County · 5,478 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #87 of 123
42Bella VistaBenton County · 34,518 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #4 of 123
43North Little RockPulaski County · 65,120 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #102 of 123
44Siloam SpringsBenton County · 21,298 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #28 of 123
45MonticelloDrew County · 8,269 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #104 of 123
46WynneCross County · 7,884 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #107 of 123
47ElkinsWashington County · 4,184 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #10 of 123
T48ConwayFaulkner County · 72,328 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #52 of 123
T48DardanelleYell County · 4,521 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #45 of 123
50AlmaCrawford County · 6,071 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #83 of 123
51BeebeWhite County · 9,377 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 123
52CabotLonoke County · 27,711 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #32 of 123
53McGeheeDesha County · 3,389 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #119 of 123
54GreenbrierFaulkner County · 6,645 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #19 of 123
55Van BurenCrawford County · 24,556 peopleC+better than 43% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #62 of 123
56BonoCraighead County · 2,858 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #77 of 123
57SheridanGrant County · 5,406 peopleC+better than 40% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #51 of 123
58AshdownLittle River County · 4,135 peopleC+better than 39% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #86 of 123
59FordyceDallas County · 3,141 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #106 of 123
T60HopeHempstead County · 8,445 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #112 of 123
T60LowellBenton County · 12,184 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #8 of 123
62Cave SpringsBenton County · 6,701 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #5 of 123
63MariannaLee County · 3,253 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #123 of 123
64DumasDesha County · 3,476 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #121 of 123
T65AtkinsPope County · 2,868 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #37 of 123
T65Bald KnobWhite County · 2,548 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #89 of 123
67BatesvilleIndependence County · 11,860 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #71 of 123
68Pine BluffJefferson County · 38,213 peopleCbetter than 34% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #117 of 123
69CentertonBenton County · 27,176 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall A+ · #3 of 123
70MalvernHot Spring County · 11,144 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #80 of 123
71MaumellePulaski County · 19,780 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #24 of 123
T72NashvilleHoward County · 3,945 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #84 of 123
T72NewportJackson County · 8,193 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #114 of 123
74Fort SmithSebastian County · 90,855 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #78 of 123
75BlythevilleMississippi County · 12,227 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #115 of 123
76ParagouldGreene County · 31,135 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #96 of 123
77CrossettAshley County · 4,454 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #116 of 123
78JonesboroCraighead County · 83,296 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #109 of 123
79MarionCrittenden County · 13,378 peopleCbetter than 27% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #79 of 123
80LavacaSebastian County · 2,528 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #23 of 123
81Helena-West HelenaPhillips County · 8,216 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #120 of 123
82White HallJefferson County · 5,532 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #55 of 123
83SherwoodPulaski County · 33,620 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #46 of 123
84BryantSaline County · 22,815 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #14 of 123
85WardLonoke County · 7,258 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #40 of 123
86OsceolaMississippi County · 6,450 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #113 of 123
87WarrenBradley County · 5,146 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #97 of 123
T88RogersBenton County · 76,956 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #22 of 123
T88TexarkanaMiller County · 29,123 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #118 of 123
90AustinLonoke County · 4,017 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #9 of 123
91Lake CityCraighead County · 2,796 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #48 of 123
92BarlingSebastian County · 5,452 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #56 of 123
93CorningClay County · 3,065 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #34 of 123
94HaskellSaline County · 4,362 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #11 of 123
95LonokeLonoke County · 4,299 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #81 of 123
96Cherokee VillageSharp County · 4,981 peopleDbetter than 15% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #58 of 123
97SouthsideIndependence County · 4,274 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #38 of 123
98JacksonvillePulaski County · 29,460 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #108 of 123
99JohnsonWashington County · 3,684 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #17 of 123
100Horseshoe BendIzard County · 2,623 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #94 of 123
101West MemphisCrittenden County · 23,336 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #105 of 123
102SpringdaleWashington County · 90,685 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #61 of 123
103TontitownWashington County · 8,046 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #18 of 123
T104Elm SpringsWashington County · 2,852 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #30 of 123
T104Little FlockBenton County · 3,039 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #27 of 123
106AlexanderSaline County · 3,801 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #59 of 123
107Shannon HillsSaline County · 4,829 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #33 of 123
108ManilaMississippi County · 3,773 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 123
109WaldronScott County · 3,387 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #100 of 123
110HoxieLawrence County · 2,568 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #95 of 123
111TrumannPoinsett County · 7,527 peopleDbetter than 6% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #98 of 123
112Green ForestCarroll County · 3,246 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #69 of 123
113Forrest CitySt. Francis County · 12,308 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #122 of 123
114GosnellMississippi County · 2,663 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C · #49 of 123
Not ranked

9 towns without a civic life grade

Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.

Quick answers

Questions people ask

Which Arkansas town has the most civic life?

El Dorado (Union County) ranks first on civic life among 114 towns, with an A+; Magnolia and Heber Springs follow.

How are these towns ranked?

The Civic life grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): library visits per resident (IMLS), community nonprofits (IRS) and volunteering groups. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.

Why isn’t my town on this list?

The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a civic life grade (114 in Arkansas). 9 towns of 2,500+ lack the figures and are listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Arkansas page.

Go deeper

More Arkansas lists

Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.

All Arkansas rankings →
Best places to live123 towns · #1 SalemBest small towns83 towns · #1 SalemMost affordable towns123 towns · #1 LonokeSafest towns105 towns · #1 Cave SpringsTowns with the best schools123 towns · #1 Bentonville and Cave Springs and Centerton and GreenbrierHealthiest towns123 towns · #1 Cave SpringsBest towns for jobs & income123 towns · #1 JohnsonMost walkable towns123 towns · #1 FayettevilleTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk123 towns · #1 BentonvilleBest towns for the outdoors123 towns · #1 FayettevilleMost historic towns123 towns · #1 Hot SpringsTowns with the least snow113 towns · #1 OzarkDescribed, no lettersSnowiest towns113 towns · #1 GravetteDescribed, no lettersTowns with the mildest winters126 towns · #1 Crossett and 3 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers126 towns · #1 Barling and Van BurenDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers126 towns · #1 Green Forest and HuntsvilleDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes123 towns · #1 Cave SpringsDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes123 towns · #1 PrescottDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns111 towns · #1 TontitownDescribed, no letters
Other states

Towns with the most civic life in other states

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