Did you know that Arkansas is the only state in the U.S. where the public can search for diamonds? So, it would make sense that the only state that lets you search for a diamond in the rough would be amazing for online dating where you’re also searching for a diamond in the rough, right? Well, yes and no.
If you just haphazardly pick a dating app and start digging, you’re not going to have much luck prospecting for that special someone. But if you take the time to find the right Arkansas dating apps that are best for you, it can be an amazing experience.
If you’re considering letting tech help you improve your love life, stay tuned. We’re going to show you a list of the best dating apps in Arkansas, talk about which cities have the most interest in online dating, and give you some other great stats and resources about the singles scene in the state.
Rated #1 Best Arkansas Dating App
Unless you’re an incredibly generous boyfriend or girlfriend, diamonds don’t come into the picture unless the relationship is getting pretty serious or you’re looking to get hitched. If a relationship like this is what you’re searching for, eHarmony easily rises to the top as the best Arkansas dating app for serious singles.
With a 4.0 rating in the App Store and over 5 million downloads on Google Play, eHarmony has done a great job of adapting with the times throughout its over 20 years serving singles across the world and in Arkansas. The entire eHarmony process is based around the Compatibility Matchmaking System which is a fancy name for a fancy algorithmically driven process to help connect singles together.
If you’re looking for an Arkansas dating app that lets you search on your own and make your own matches, this isn’t going to be the best fit. eHarmony relies on you letting their expert process take the lead and curate matches for you. But, the good news is that they’re really good at it as outlined in their success stories and published results.
It’s easy to see why eHarmony ranks #1 in Arkansas.
Best Christian Arkansas Dating App
Ready for some stats that are not going to surprise you one bit? 4 out of 5 people in the state of Arkansas identify as being Christian with almost 70% of those being some form of Protestant. In the 5th most religious state in the nation right in the heart of the Bible Belt, this is probably evident to anyone who has spent more than about 15 minutes in the state.
What this means is that a Christian dating app like Higher Bond couldn’t be more perfect for the area. One of the newest apps on the market (launched in 2022), Higher Bond has taken a much different approach to Christian dating than other options like Upward or even like Christian Mingle. Where those apps are more similar to “regular dating apps” and the faith-focused aspects are a bit more of an afterthought, Higher Bond digs deep into the tenets of your faith and what matters in a Christ-centered relationship.
Some of our favorite features include 100% manual account approval, daily batch matching, and guided first messages. What’s also awesome is that free members can always respond to messages from premium members at no charge, which really makes the experience way better for people on both sides of the aisle. The only real drawback is that the userbase is quite small as the app hasn’t even been around for a year.
If your faith matters when selecting a romantic partner, check out Higher Bond.
Best Serious and Casual Arkansas Dating Site Option
While the majority of Arkansas identifies as being religious, that’s not everyone. And while a lot of people in Arkansas are looking for serious or committed relationships, that’s also not everyone. So, what happens if you want something casual or you just aren’t sure what type of relationship you want just yet?
Zoosk is our pick to round out the list of the best Arkansas dating apps as it’s an amazing “catch-all” for all relationship goals and religious (or non-religious) people. While faith-based dating does happen on Zoosk, the app cares way more about being inclusive and offering a platform open to all people for all types of relationship (serious or non-committal).
One really cool feature that Zoosk just added is their “Great Dates” feature. With this feature, you and a match can video chat while exploring a unique vacation destination around the world, all without having to leave your home. You can talk about what you see and even decide which ways to go within the date. And since one in six Americans haven’t ever left their home state, this could be super cool for singles in Arkansas.
All in all, Zoosk is a great option with a huge userbase and is available on desktop, iOS, or Android.
Why We Love These Arkansas Dating Apps
Let’s take a quick look at some of the more overarching reasons that we selected these dating apps as the best. These aren’t anywhere near all of the reasons, but some more insight into the review and ranking process should always be welcomed.
Arkansas Singles and Access to Neighbors
Some dating apps only allow you to search for singles by selecting the city or state that you live in. This is great if you live somewhere like New York City or Los Angeles, but it’s not so great in a state like Arkansas where people are much more spread out with 41% of the population in rural counties (only 57.9 people per square mile). The best dating apps for Arkansas singles allow you to search by proximity and a mileage range. Unless you wouldn’t date someone from a neighboring state who still lived close, these are welcomed features.
Some Additional Focus on Religious Dating Sites
While we know that not all of you here are looking for a Christian dating app, Arkansas is ranked as the 5th most religious state in the country. For that reason, you’ll see that we included several Christian and religious dating options on our listings.
User Friendly Technology
When we see a state like Arkansas that has a fairly low percentage of the population with access to the internet from home, it tells us one thing—most of you aren’t glued to technology like some other areas of the country. And with an impressive 52 state parks in the state (that is also often called The Natural State), we understand why.
But just because you might not be a complete tech expert doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get to reap the rewards of online dating in Arkansas. For that reason, we looked for dating sites and dating apps in the state that put a lot more time, effort, and resources into creating an experience that is easy to figure out without a steep learning curve. That way, whether you’re a tech wizard or it’s just not your thing, you can still enjoy online dating in Arkansas.
Things to Know About Dating in Arkansas
- Little Rock, AK continues to show the most interest in online dating. The Ft. Smith area (and surrounding towns) came in second place in the study (details below).
- Women rule in the state with a population breakdown of 51% female to 49% male.
- Singles living on the edge of the state tend to have luck finding other singles within neighboring states (the recommended online dating apps let you search by mileage).
- The percentage of women unmarried in the state of Arkansas dropped over the past few years from 51% to 49.6%.
Arkansas Cities Where Online Dating is Most Popular
Are you living in an online dating hotspot? The chances are high that you just might be. And while you can find love online anywhere in the Land of Opportunity State, there are some areas with a little more action. Our research team broke down the data on search trends over the past 12 months within the state. We looked for cities that had the highest levels of interest in online dating topics. Here are our results:
- Little Rock-Pine Bluff AR – (100)
- Ft. Smith-Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers AR – (60)
- Memphis TN – (32)
- Springfield MO – (19)
- Shreveport LA – (16)
- Jonesboro AR
- Monroe LA-El Dorado AR
Little Rock walked away with the crown! Second place went to the Ft. Smith and Fayetteville areas. You’ll notice that some of the other cities on the list are actually in other states. Why? The study was done by major metropolitan areas. Some of these cities are included in surrounding towns, which means they still get to make the list.
A Look at the Arkansas Online Dating Pool – Population Stats
Mastering the dating scene in Arkansas may seem like a tall task. But one thing that can help you get a leg up is knowing the lay of the land a bit more. Below, we’ve included some basic information on the singles scene within the state. Here are also a few takeaways from the data:
- The gender breakdown of singles in Arkansas is close to equal with the number of women being slightly higher (54,851 more women than men in the state).
- While the population in the state is only a little over 3 million, the singles pool is actually considerably larger if you include the fact you have access to people in the neighboring states of Missouri, Louisiana, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, and Oklahoma. Most Arkansas dating apps and websites allow you to search by proximity and not just by city or state, which makes for a great experience when you’re okay dating across state borders.
- The percentage of singles in the state with access to the internet is a lot lower than you might see in other states. While this used to have a pretty profound effect on the online dating scene, the accessibility of dating apps in Arkansas from your phone or phone browser negate this. We wouldn’t expect it to have much of a profound effect on the single’s scene.
Total Population
- 3,011,873
Population in Arkansas by Gender
- 50.9% women
- 49.1% of men
Overall Singles by Gender
- 49.6% of women in Arkansas are single
- 46.4% of men in Arkansas are single
Population in Arkansas by Age
- Median age is 38.3 years old
- 13.4% aged from 20-29 years old
- 12.6% aged from 30-39 years old
- 12.1% aged from 40-49 years old
- 12.6% aged from 50-59 years old
- 23.2% aged 60+
% Households with Internet in AR
- 69.8% of households in Arkansas have internet access
Source(s): Census.gov
Arkansas Dating App FAQ
Is dating in Arkansas hard?
Finding someone special in Arkansas can be a bit of a challenge if you’re living outside of one of the big cities because of sheer logistics. That being said, online dating is quite popular in the state, which creates a lot of great opportunities to meet someone special. As per finding places to go on dates, the state has a ton of options, especially if you like the outdoors. Arkansas is home to over 500,000 acres of lakes, 9,700 miles of streams, and 50 state parks.
Can I meet singles from other states if I live close to the border in Arkansas?
Yes! Arkansas is bordered by an impressive six other states—Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee. The top Arkansas dating apps let you search locations by distance instead of just the name of the city or state you live in. This gives you the freedom to meet single men and women from “across the border.”
Written By: Matt Seymour
Matt Seymour is a dating industry expert with over a decade of experience coaching singles, reviewing dating apps, and analyzing trends within the industry. With a Masters of Science in Finance (MSF) degree from the University of Florida and extensive knowledge of the innerworkings of the online dating industry, Matt frequently serves in an advisory role to some of the largest dating apps on the market. In Matt’s current role with Healthy Framework, he leads the interview team that regularly interviews key dating industry leaders, and leverages his financial knowledge and dating app experience to review and share what singles need to know to get the most out of dating online.