Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety12#810/924
Economy20#738/925
Housing48#478/925
Health12#813/925
Healthcare18#753/923
Environment7#852/917
Education27#680/925
Infrastructure23#712/925
Community14#797/925
Leisure & amenities23#716/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Texarkana, TX-AR metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Cost of buying a home today · low25.1%
86/100Texas 30.7%United States 34.1%Aug 2026Zillow Research
Distance to an Amtrak station · low10 mi
83/100Texas 43 miUnited States 43 mi2026Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Average commute time · low20.1 min
77/100Texas 26.7 minUnited States 26.4 min2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B08013
Social associations · high12.5 /10k
69/100Texas 7.3 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
New business applications · high13.4 /1k
69/100Texas 17.2 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Home price to income ratio · low2.9×
65/100Texas 3.6×United States 4.1×2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25077

Weaknesses

Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high9.9 µg/m³
1/100Texas 8.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from counties
Distance to an airport · high139 mi
5/100Texas 33 miUnited States 33 mi2025Federal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Broadband subscriptions · low82.3%
8/100Texas 91.3%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Life expectancy · low72.1 yrs
10/100Texas 77.2 yrsUnited States 77.6 yrs2021-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties
Property crime rate · high2,041 /100k
11/100Texas 1,786 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2023Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from counties
Voter turnout · low52.6%
12/100Texas 57.8%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionAggregated from counties

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Drought exposureWorsening
19% (2021) → 59% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+40 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
Homicide rateImproving
15.2 /100k (2021) → 5.8 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−62%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
New homes permittedImproving
1.8 /1k (2021) → 2.7 /1k (Sep 2025–Aug 2026)
+54%5 yearsUS 5.2 /1k → 4.2 /1k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
72.3% (2015-2019) → 82.3% (2020-2024)
+10 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
New business applicationsImproving
9.2 /1k (2020) → 13.4 /1k (2025)
+45%5 yearsUS 13.1 /1k → 16.6 /1k
Access to exercise opportunitiesImproving
46.3% (2010 & 2021) → 54.4% (2022 & 2024)
+8.1 pts3 yearsUS 79.8% → 84.5%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Texarkana, TX-AR metro area improved on 10 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 5. 8 moved within the margin of error and 6 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved10

Pharmacies+15%1.4 /10k → 1.6 /10k
Real income+37%$44,095 → $60,461
Grocery stores+10%1.4 /10k → 1.5 /10k
Homicides−49%11.3 /100k → 5.8 /100k
Broadband+10 points72.3% → 82.3%

Declined5

Overdose deaths+63%9.9 /100k → 16.2 /100k
Arts & recreation−9.6%2.7 /10k → 2.5 /10k
Suicides+15%22.2 /100k → 25.6 /100k
Gyms−6.7%0.9 /10k → 0.9 /10k
Price / income+0.5×2.4× → 2.9×

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Texarkana, TX-AR metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	2.7 /10k2020	2.5 /10k2025	−9.6%	Declined	15%
Average commute time	19.8 min2015-2019	20.1 min2020-2024	+0.3 min	Within the margin of error	55%
Average weekly wage	$8522020	$1,0522025	+23%	Improved	52%
Bachelor's degree or higher	18.8%2015-2019	20.6%2020-2024	+1.8 points	Improved	27%
Broadband subscriptions	72.3%2015-2019	82.3%2020-2024	+10 points	Improved	62%
Child poverty rate	25.1%2015-2019	24.9%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	25%
Distance to an airport	139 mi2020	139 mi2025	+0 mi	Little change	18%
Drug overdose deaths	9.9 /100k2020	16.2 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	+63%	Declined	6%
Effective property tax rate	1.12%2015-2019	0.97%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Little change	60%
Firearm deaths	20.7 /100k2020	20.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−3.2%	Little change	55%
Grocery stores	1.4 /10k2020	1.5 /10k2025	+10%	Improved	78%
Gyms and fitness centers	0.9 /10k2020	0.9 /10k2025	−6.7%	Declined	27%
High school diploma or higher	88.1%2015-2019	89.7%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Within the margin of error	47%
Home price to income ratio	2.4×2015-2019	2.9×2020-2024	+0.5×	Declined	40%
Homicide rate	11.3 /100k2020	5.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−49%	Improved	77%
Income adjusted for local prices	$44,0952019	$60,4612024	+37%	Improved	81%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4882015-2019	0.4782020-2024	−0.010	Within the margin of error	78%
Median household income	$47,3772015-2019	$55,6462020-2024	+17%	Improved	8%
New business applications	9.2 /1k2020	13.4 /1k2025	+45%	Improved	49%
Pharmacies	1.4 /10k2020	1.6 /10k2025	+15%	Improved	92%
Poverty rate	17.6%2015-2019	18.6%2020-2024	+1 points	Within the margin of error	12%
Public libraries	0.5 /10k2019	0.5 /10k2024	+1.7%	Little change	75%
Rent as share of income	29.0%2015-2019	30.5%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Within the margin of error	27%
Rent-burdened households	48.3%2015-2019	51.0%2020-2024	+2.7 points	Within the margin of error	35%
Restaurants and bars	6.6 /10k2020	6.8 /10k2025	+2.5%	Little change	56%
Suicide rate	22.2 /100k2020	25.6 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+15%	Declined	31%
Traffic deaths	20.6 /100k2015-2019	21.0 /100k2020-2024	+2%	Little change	58%
Unemployment rate	7.5%2020	4.4%2025	−3.1 points	Improved	53%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	14.1%2015-2019	14.5%2020-2024	+0.4 points	Within the margin of error	30%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 925 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Metro and micro areas like Texarkana, TX-AR metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Texarkana, TX-AR metro area in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Texarkana, TX-AR metro area itself moved −2.9 points in standing on average over the same 28 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

146,296 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

56,252 households (±717)

Texarkana, TX-AR metro area
United States share

Under $25k24%13,515
$25k–50k22%12,211
$50k–75k18%9,905

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

56,252 households (±717)

Texarkana, TX-AR metro area
United States share

Own65%36,642
Rent35%19,610

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

Table view

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

59,087 workers (±1,434)

Texarkana, TX-AR metro area
United States share

Drive alone83%49,002
Carpool9.2%5,439
Public transit0.2%†121

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The 10 largest occupations in Texarkana, TX-AR employ 14,070 people. 10 pay a median below the US median.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Texarkana, TX-AR by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Fast Food and Counter Workers2,170 jobs	2,170	$22,880US $31,200	−27%	1.52×
Registered Nurses1,760 jobs	1,760

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

Texarkana, TX-AR has 3,171 employer establishments, 217 for every 10,000 residents (0.87× the US rate of 248), with 46,766 paid employees at an average annual pay of $47,652. The Census Bureau also counts 10,792 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 3,171; 10,792 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 217; US 248
Paid employees: 46,766
Average annual pay: $47,652; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Texarkana, TX-AR by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	292	20	0.96×About typical	3,645	$68,196	596
Restaurants and other eating places	256	17.5	0.95×About typical	6,053	$19,432	50
Specialty trade contractors	169	11.6	0.75×Fewer than typical	1,570	$57,939	942
Lessors of real estate	149	10.2	0.83×About typical	462	$38,872	804
Religious organizations	145	9.9	1.79×More than typical	912	$20,549	—
Limited-service restaurants	144	9.9	1.23×About typical	3,394	$18,371	29
Full-service restaurants	89	6.1	0.79×Fewer than typical	2,328	$20,260	15
Automotive repair and maintenance	85	5.8	1.16×About typical	534	$43,569	235
Offices of physicians	82	5.6	0.87×About typical	1,069	$101,114	104
Services to buildings and dwellings	81	5.5	0.82×About typical	648	$31,316	1,020
Building equipment contractors	79	5.4	0.90×About typical	780	$66,010	183
Banks and credit unions	77	5.3	1.63×More than typical	1,028	$56,936	7

Rank places for an industry

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 145,972 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $174.9M on contracts performed in Texarkana, TX-AR metro area: $1,191 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $174.9M; −48% vs FY2025
Per resident: $1,191; US $1,994
Sole-source: 23%; US 30%
Single offer: 31%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Department of the Army$175.6M100%
Defense Logistics Agency$4.9M2.8%
Public Buildings Service$669.7K0.4%
Federal Prison System / Bureau of Prisons$427.4K0.2%
Department of Veterans Affairs$352.9K0.2%
Federal Acquisition Service$339.3K0.2%
Federal Aviation Administration$314.4K0.2%
Defense Finance and Accounting Service$12.9K0.0%

Top recipients

AMENTUM SERVICES, INC.$39.9M23%
HADRIAN AUTOMATION, INC.$39.2M22%
CHEROKEE NATION ARMORED SOLUTIONS, LLC$21.2M12%
ADVANCED STRUCTURAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.$8.6M4.9%
HARTECH GROUP LLC$8.2M4.7%

Spending by fiscal year

132.5MFY2017
184.9MFY2018
173.2MFY2019
109.7MFY2020
213.4MFY2021
148.5MFY2022
452.1MFY2023
318.5M

Top industries (NAICS)

Automotive repair and maintenance · 8111$40M23%
Industrial machinery manufacturing · 3332$39.2M22%
Commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance · 8113$14.7M8.4%
Forging and stamping · 3321$11.5M6.6%
Engine, turbine, and power transmission equipment manufacturing · 3336$8.7M5.0%
Metalworking machinery manufacturing · 3335

Largest awards

MULTI SITE SUPPLEMENTAL LABOR TASK ORDER$347.1M
AMENTUM SERVICES, INC.· Bowie County, TX· Equipment maintenance· Dec 19, 2022 – Mar 26, 2026· W911RQ23F0020
DATA RIGHTS AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY$39.2M
HADRIAN AUTOMATION, INC.· Bowie County, TX· Other equipment & supplies· Mar 17, 2026 – Mar 17, 2026· W911RQ26CA011
FMS CAR$33.8M
DAY & ZIMMERMANN LONE STAR LLC· Bowie County, TX· Weapons, aircraft, ships & vehicles· Sep 26, 2024 – Oct 23, 2025· W519TC24F0470
DEMILITARIZATION OF VARIOUS AMMUNITION$33.5M

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $1B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Texarkana, TX-AR metro area: $7,044 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $1B; −9.9% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,044; US $12,955
Loan face value: $32.8M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 1.2%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$496.1M48%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$123.2M12%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$106.6M10%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$63.2M6.1%
20.279 · National Highway Performance Program (NHPP)$51.4M5.0%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$47.2M4.6%
14.871 · Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers$26.8M2.6%
84.063 · Federal Pell Grant Program$18M1.7%

Top recipients (organizations)

TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$61.5M5.9%
AUSTIN, TX
ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION$23.9M2.3%
LITTLE ROCK, AR
ARK-TEX COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS$14.4M1.4%
TEXARKANA, TX
TEXARKANA AIRPORT AUTHORITY$10.8M1.0%
TEXARKANA, AR
TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY -TEXARKANA

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$713.1M69%
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$141.2M14%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Federal Highway Administration$85.7M8.3%
Department of Transportation
Assistant Secretary for Public and Indian Housing$28M2.7%
Department of Housing and Urban Development
Department of Education

Assistance by fiscal year

898.1MFY2021
913.1MFY2022
855.6MFY2023
915.4MFY2024
1.1BFY2025
1BFY2026

County aggregates

83%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Texarkana, TX-AR

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

States

The share of the area's residents living in each state.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

TexarkanaPrincipal city35,992

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Texas

Areas based in Texas, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M45500

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved10

Declined5

Metro and micro areas like Texarkana, TX-AR metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Texarkana, TX-AR

States

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Texas

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved10

Declined5

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought