The map above shows Arkansas and Missouri side by side at exactly the same scale, using equal-area projections, so their true relative sizes are preserved.
Arkansas vs Missouri Geography
Land area: Arkansas has a land area of 51,992 square miles (134,658 km²), while Missouri has 68,746 square miles (178,052 km²). Missouri's land area is 1.3 times (32%) larger than Arkansas'.
Total area: Arkansas: 53,198 square miles (137,781 km²) vs Missouri: 69,707 square miles (180,540 km²), including inland and coastal water. Missouri's total area is 1.3 times (31%) larger than Arkansas'.
Length: Arkansas is 243 miles (392 km) long from north to south; Missouri is 328 miles (529 km). Missouri's north-south length is 1.3 times (35%) longer than Arkansas'.
Width: Arkansas spans 279 miles (449 km) east to west; Missouri spans 437 miles (703 km). Missouri's east-west width is 1.6 times (57%) wider than Arkansas'.
Highest point: Arkansas's highest point is Mount Magazine at 2,752 feet (839 m); Missouri's is Taum Sauk Mountain at 1,771 feet (540 m). Mount Magazine is 981 feet higher than Taum Sauk Mountain.
Lowest point: Arkansas's lowest point is Ouachita River at 55 feet; Missouri's is St. Francis River at 230 feet. Arkansas's lowest point is 175 feet lower.
Arkansas vs Missouri Population and History
Population: Arkansas has a population of 3,088,354 (2024), while Missouri has 6,245,466 (2024). Missouri's population is 2.0 times (102%) larger than Arkansas'.
Population density: Arkansas: 59.4 people per square mile vs Missouri: 90.8. Missouri's population density is 1.5 times (53%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest city: Arkansas's biggest city is Little Rock with 204,774 people; Missouri's is Kansas City with 516,032. Kansas City's population is 2.5 times (152%) larger than Little Rock's.
Largest metro area: Arkansas's largest metropolitan area is Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area (1,339,345 people) vs Missouri's St. Louis, MO-IL metro area (2,811,927). St. Louis, MO-IL metro area's population is 2.1 times (110%) larger than Memphis, TN-MS-AR metro area's.
History: Arkansas: Admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25th state. Missouri: Admitted to the Union on August 10, 1821, as the 24th state. In its current form, Missouri is the older of the two by 15 years.
Arkansas vs Missouri Economy
GDP: Arkansas's GDP is $188.3 billion (2024) vs Missouri's $448.7 billion. Missouri's economic output is 2.4 times (138%) larger than Arkansas'.
GDP per capita: Arkansas: $60,984 per person vs Missouri: $71,846. Missouri's GDP per capita is 1.2 times (18%) higher than Arkansas'.
Average income: Arkansas: $59,320 vs Missouri: $64,920 average income per person (per capita personal income). Missouri's average income is 1.1 times (9%) higher than Arkansas'.
Arkansas vs Missouri Counties
Number of counties: Arkansas has 75 counties, while Missouri has 115. Missouri's county count is 1.5 times (53%) higher than Arkansas'.
Biggest county by area: Arkansas's largest county is Union County at 1,039 square miles; Missouri's is Texas County at 1,177 square miles. Texas County's land area is 1.1 times (13%) larger than Union County's.
Smallest county by area: Arkansas: Lafayette County (530 sq mi) vs Missouri: St. Louis city (62 sq mi). Lafayette County's land area is 8.6 times (758%) larger than St. Louis city's.
Most populous county: Arkansas: Pulaski County (401,209 people) vs Missouri: St. Louis County (992,929 people). St. Louis County's population is 2.5 times (147%) larger than Pulaski County's.
Least populous county: Arkansas: Calhoun County (4,690 people) vs Missouri: Worth County (1,872 people). Calhoun County's population is 2.5 times (151%) larger than Worth County's.
Richest county: Arkansas: Benton County ($120,594 per capita income) vs Missouri: St. Louis County ($104,775). Benton County's income is 1.2 times (15%) richer than St. Louis County's.
Poorest county: Arkansas: Lincoln County ($36,032 per capita income) vs Missouri: Douglas County ($40,515). Douglas County's income is 1.1 times (12%) richer than Lincoln County's.
Arkansas vs Missouri Taxes
State income tax: Arkansas has a top income tax rate of 3.9%, while Missouri has a top income tax rate of 4.7%. Missouri's top rate is 0.8 percentage points higher.
Property tax: Arkansas: 0.52% effective rate vs Missouri: 0.79% of home value per year. Missouri's rate is 0.27 percentage points higher.
Sales tax: Arkansas: 9.48% combined state and average local rate vs Missouri: 8.44%. Arkansas's combined rate is 1.04 percentage points higher.
Official Websites
Arkansas official website · Missouri official website
More Size Comparisons
All Arkansas size comparisons · All Missouri size comparisons
Area, elevation and boundary figures come from official national statistics and US Census Bureau and Natural Earth boundary data; US state population, economic, county and tax figures come from the US Census Bureau, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Tax Foundation. Figures are rounded and for general reference.