The state of Arkansas has a rich military history dating back to the Revolutionary War and has given birth to such military leaders as Gen. Douglas MacArthur. Situated between the Ozark Mountains and the Mississippi river, the state is known as The Natural State and offers a wide variety in terrain and geography to homeowners, tourists and outdoors enthusiasts. Granted statehood in 1836, Arkansas is the 25th state. Prior to contact with European explorers, the area was inhabited by multiple indigenous tribes. Expeditions led by Hernando de Soto, Jacques Marquette, Louis Jolliet, Robert La Salle and Henri de Tonti all passed through the area. Arkansas changed possessions between France and Spain before ultimately ending up an American territory following the purchase of the Louisiana Territory. Like many Southern States that economically relied on agricultural production, the local plantation economy of the state bottomed out after the Civil War. Reconstruction was a time of great upheaval for the state.
Today, the economy of Arkansas is built upon a number of industries, including tourism, agriculture, steelworks, aircraft building and a thriving service sector, including the home headquarters of Wal-Mart. Major urban centers are Little Rock, Fort Smith, and Fayetteville. Popular activities in the state include mountain climbing, river paddling, and live music (Riverfest). Arkansas is renowned for its Soul food and barbecue. Fried catfish is also a regional delicacy.
Arkansas is one of the most affordable states in the nation for housing, with a median sale price of $139,000 across the state. The most expensive county by median sales price is Pulaski County, home of the state capital, Little Rock; other counties average well below $100,000 for the average homebuyer. The homeownership rate of 67.2 percent is well above the national average of 16.6 percent, making Arkansas a great place to look for a place to call your own. Home appreciation in the state over the previous twelve months has been 1.10 percent. The cost of living in Arkansas is 16 percent below the U.S. average. The unemployment rate in the state is slightly below the national average.
Disabled veterans in Alaska are eligible for a property tax exemption of up to the first $150,000 of the assessed property value if they are 50 percent or more disabled.
There are three military installations in Arkansas, including:
- Little Rock Air Force Base, a training and logistics center that is the only base in the country to house the C-130 cargo plane.
- Camp J. T. Robinson, the principal training ground to the Arkansas Army National Guard and the Arkansas National Guard.
- Pine Bluff Arsenal, a research and development facility that also is equipped to store chemical weapons.
As of 2012, it was estimated that Arkansas was home to more than 242,000 veterans and 22,539 active duty personnel.
Arkansas VA Home Loan Limits
NOTE: The following is for information purposes only.
To find out the exact dollar amount you qualify for, call the VA Home Loan Centers Applications Support Desk at 888-573-4496 or fill out the VA Home Loan Application located here.
The loan limits below are the maximum 2021, $0 down VA loan amount set for each county. Although there is no maximum loan amount, the maximum no money down VA home loan limits are stated as follows.
- Arkansas County: $548,250
- Ashley County: $548,250
- Baxter County: $548,250
- Benton County: $548,250
- Boone County: $548,250
- Bradley County: $548,250
- Calhoun County: $548,250
- Carroll County: $548,250
- Chicot County: $548,250
- Clark County: $548,250
- Clay County: $548,250
- Cleburne County: $548,250
- Cleveland County: $548,250
- Columbia County: $548,250
- Conway County: $548,250
- Craighead County: $548,250
- Crawford County: $548,250
- Crittenden County: $548,250
- Cross County: $548,250
- Dallas County: $548,250
- Desha County: $548,250
- Drew County: $548,250
- Faulkner County: $548,250
- Franklin County: $548,250
- Fulton County: $548,250
- Garland County: $548,250
- Grant County: $548,250
- Greene County: $548,250
- Hempstead County: $548,250
- Hot Spring County: $548,250
- Howard County: $548,250
- Independence County: $548,250
- Izard County: $548,250
- Jackson County: $548,250
- Jefferson County: $548,250
- Johnson County: $548,250
- Lafayette County: $548,250
- Lawrence County: $548,250
- Lee County: $548,250
- Lincoln County: $548,250
- Little River County: $548,250
- Logan County: $548,250
- Lonoke County: $548,250
- Madison County: $548,250
- Marion County: $548,250
- Miller County: $548,250
- Mississippi County: $548,250
- Monroe County: $548,250
- Montgomery County: $548,250
- Nevada County: $548,250
- Newton County: $548,250
- Ouachita County: $548,250
- Perry County: $548,250
- Phillips County: $548,250
- Pike County: $548,250
- Poinsett County: $548,250
- Polk County: $548,250
- Pope County: $548,250
- Prairie County: $548,250
- Pulaski County: $548,250
- Randolph County: $548,250
- Saint Francis County: $548,250
- Saline County: $548,250
- Scott County: $548,250
- Searcy County: $548,250
- Sebastian County: $548,250
- Sevier County: $548,250
- Sharp County: $548,250
- Stone County: $548,250
- Union County: $548,250
- Van Buren County: $548,250
- Washington County: $548,250
- White County: $548,250
- Woodruff County: $548,250
- Yell County: $548,250
