Living in West Memphis, AR
Crittenden County
West Memphis is real, genuinely Crittenden County's largest city, sitting directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee, with a population running approximately 23,130-23,584 depending on source. Its economy is defined by two real anchors: the convergence of Interstate 40 and Interstate 55, one of the nation's most significant trucking corridors, backed by a Mississippi River dock and Union Pacific rail transload terminal; and Southland Casino Racing, a 113,000-square-foot complex with approximately 2,400 slot machines, 60 table games, and a 300-room hotel, the closest full casino to Memphis. Housing runs genuinely affordable -- Zillow's own approximately $131,756 typical home value sits well below national medians, though Redfin's separately calculated median sale price runs higher at approximately $175,000, a real, disclosed cross-source spread. Crittenden County's own 0.96% Ownwell effective property tax rate runs below the national median, and Arkansas's low, current 3.7% top income tax rate applies statewide. West Memphis carries a real, elevated combined hazard profile distinct from much of the rest of Arkansas: tornado risk shared statewide, PLUS the real, geographically distinct New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake hazard, PLUS Mississippi River flood exposure specific to its riverside location.
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Learn moreHousing
Taxes
Not independently sourced at the Crittenden County level this session. Arkansas's top state income tax rate is 3.70%. See the Arkansas hub page for the statewide property tax context -- do not treat that figure as West Memphis-specific.
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Get local guidanceThe tradeoffs
Pros
Genuinely affordable housing (approximately $131,756 typical value); Arkansas's real, low 3.7% state income tax and below-national-median property tax; a real, distinct logistics/trucking-hub economy at the I-40/I-55 interchange; and Southland Casino Racing as a major local entertainment and employment anchor, all with direct access to Memphis's much larger metro economy across the river.
Cons
A real, combined hazard exposure this record does not soften -- tornado, Mississippi River flood, AND New Madrid Seismic Zone earthquake risk together, genuinely more layered than most of the rest of Arkansas; a confirmed, current named-employer list and city-specific (versus county-wide) property tax rate were not found with confidence this pass; and no major commercial airport in the city itself.
Who this fits
Best for: Best fits movers prioritizing genuinely affordable housing, low Arkansas state income tax, and proximity to Memphis's larger job market and airport, comfortable with a real, layered natural-hazard profile (tornado, river flood, and seismic risk together) and a car-dependent small city.
Maybe not for you if: Probably not the right fit for movers who want to minimize combined natural-hazard exposure -- West Memphis carries real tornado, Mississippi River flood, AND New Madrid earthquake risk together -- or anyone needing a major commercial airport within the city itself rather than across the river in Memphis.
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