How hard is the water in Arkansas?

The average water hardness across Arkansas is 94 PPM (5.5 GPG), classified as slightly hard. Hardness varies by city - the hardest higher-confidence city page is Montrose (701 PPM) and the softest is Emmet (2 PPM).

What city in Arkansas has the hardest water?

Montrose has the hardest water among higher-confidence Arkansas city pages at 701 PPM. A water softener is recommended for residents.

How many water systems are in Arkansas?

Arkansas has 665 active community water systems serving 557 cities.

Water Hardness in Arkansas

Average: 94 PPMSlightly Hard557 cities665 water systems

State data profile

How to read the Arkansas results

State pages are screening and comparison hubs. They summarize ZIP, city, and water-system patterns so you can find the local page that best matches your home or utility.

Direct or USGS-backed ZIPs

429 of 582

74% use treated-water records or USGS monitoring.

Estimated ZIP values

153 ZIPs

26% use nearby, county, or state-level fallback values.

Dataset update

March 9, 2026

Source coverage and rollups are rebuilt from the public dataset.

Use the source coverage below to judge how much local confirmation a specific city or ZIP needs. The methodology page explains the source hierarchy, weighting, and limitations.

State Average

94 PPM

Slightly Hard

Coverage

557 cities

665 water systems in the state rollup.

Data Source Coverage

ZIP-level source mix for Arkansas; higher direct and USGS coverage means less reliance on regional estimates.

582 ZIPs covered

Verified treated water

Utility, CCR, or state treated-water records

35%

204 ZIPs

High-confidence USGS

Environmental monitoring matched to local systems

39%

225 ZIPs

Estimated

Nearby, county, or state-level fallback values

26%

153 ZIPs

In Arkansas, 35% of ZIPs use verified treated-water records, 39% use high-confidence USGS monitoring, and 26% use estimates that should be confirmed locally for treatment decisions.

What the Data Shows in Arkansas

Most classified ZIPs in Arkansas are below the hard-water threshold, though local systems can still vary.

Arkansas uses a mixed data profile across treated-water records, USGS monitoring, and estimated fallback values.

Use the city table below to compare local results. For estimated locations or unusually high readings, confirm with your utility or a home hardness test before sizing treatment equipment.

ZIP Hardness Distribution

Soft68% (395)

Slightly Hard7% (42)

Moderately Hard4% (24)

Hard9% (54)

Very Hard12% (67)

Treatment Takeaway

Hardness treatment is less likely to be needed statewide, but local water systems can still differ from the state pattern. Test first if you see scale or spotting.

How to Use This Data

Use the source coverage above to decide how much local confirmation you need for a specific city or ZIP code.

Useful Arkansas City Pages

Shortcuts to city pages backed by more ZIP-code or water-system data.

Cities With More Local Data

Slightly Hard (92 PPM)

Prioritize cities with multiple ZIPs and systems, then use the local source badges to compare high-confidence USGS readings against estimated areas.

Top 10 Hardest Water Cities

#	City	Hardness
1	Montrose	Very Hard (701 PPM)
2	Portland	Very Hard (701 PPM)
3	Wilmot	Very Hard (701 PPM)
4	Beedeville	Very Hard (472 PPM)
5	Grubbs	Very Hard (472 PPM)
6	Hickory Ridge	Very Hard (472 PPM)
7	Almyra	Very Hard (404 PPM)
8	Casscoe	Very Hard (404 PPM)
9	Crocketts Bluff	Very Hard (404 PPM)
10	Ethel	Very Hard (404 PPM)

Top 10 Softest Water Cities

#	City	Hardness
1	Emmet	Soft (2 PPM)
2	Fulton	Soft (2 PPM)
3	Mc Caskill	Soft (2 PPM)
4	Ozan	Soft (2 PPM)
5	Perrytown	Soft (2 PPM)
6	Washington	Soft (2 PPM)
7	Hampton	Soft (2 PPM)
8	Harrell	Soft (2 PPM)
9	Blevins	Soft (3 PPM)
10	Bradley	Soft (4 PPM)

All Cities in Arkansas

City pages marked Estimated use fallback values and should be confirmed with local testing or utility data.

AdonaSoft AgnosHard AlexanderSoft AliciaSoft AlleeneSlightly Hard AlmaVery Hard AlmyraVery Hard AlpenaModerately Hard AltheimerSoft AltusSoft AmagonSoft AmitySoft AntoineSoft ArkadelphiaSoft Arkansas CityVery Hard AshdownSlightly Hard AtkinsSoft AubreySoft AugustaHard AustinSlightly Hard Bald KnobSoft BanksSlightly Hard BarlingSoft BatesvilleHard BauxiteSoft BaySoft BeardenSoft Bee BranchSoft BeebeSoft Beech GroveSoft BeedevilleVery Hard Bella VistaSoft BellevilleSoft Ben LomondSoft BentonSoft BentonvilleSoft BerryvilleSlightly Hard Bethel HeightsSoft BexarSoft Big FlatVery Hard BigelowSoft BiggersVery Hard BiscoeVery Hard BismarckSoft Black OakSoft Black RockVery Hard BlevinsSoft Blue MountainSoft Bluff CitySlightly Hard BlufftonSoft Blytheville A FSoft BolesSoft BonnerdaleSoft BonoSoft BoonevilleSoft BradfordSoft BradleySoft BranchModerately Hard BrickeysSoft BriggsvilleSoft BrinkleySlightly Hard BrockwellSoft BrooklandSoft BryantSoft BucknerSlightly Hard BuckvilleSoft Bull ShoalsVery Hard ByronHard CabotSoft Caddo GapSoft CalamineVery Hard CaldwellSlightly Hard CalionSoft CampSoft Camp Joseph T RoSoft CanehillSoft CarawaySoft CarlisleSlightly Hard CarthageSoft CasaSoft CashSoft CasscoeVery Hard Cave CityHard Cave SpringsSoft CecilSoft CedarvilleVery Hard Center RidgeSoft CentertonSoft CentervilleSoft Central CitySoft CharlestonModerately Hard CharlotteHard Cherokee VillageVery Hard Cherry ValleyHard ChesterVery Hard ClarendonSlightly Hard ClarkridgeVery Hard ClarksvilleSoft ClevelandSoft ClintonSoft Coal HillSoft College CityVery Hard College StationSoft ColtSoft CombsSoft ComptonSoft ConcordSoft ConwaySoft CordHard CorningSoft CotterVery Hard Cotton PlantSlightly Hard CoveSoft CrawfordsvilleHard Crocketts BluffVery Hard CrumrodSoft CushmanHard DanvilleSoft DardanelleSoft DattoSoft De QueenSoft De Valls BluffVery Hard De WittVery Hard DecaturSoft DeerSoft DelaplaineSoft DelawareSoft DelightSoft DellSoft DennardSoft DermottHard Des ArcModerately Hard DeshaHard Diamond CityHard DierksSoft DoddridgeHard DogpatchSoft DollarwaySoft DolphSoft DonaldsonSoft DoverSoft DrascoSoft DriverSoft DumasModerately Hard DyerVery Hard DyessSoft EarleHard East CamdenSoft EdgemontSoft EdmondsonHard EgyptSoft El DoradoSoft El PasoSoft ElaineModerately Hard ElizabethSoft ElkinsSoft EmersonSoft EmmetSoft EnglandSlightly Hard EnolaSoft EthelVery Hard EtowahSoft EudoraVery Hard Eureka SpringsSlightly Hard EvansvilleSoft Evening ShadeHard EvertonHard Fairfield BaySoft FarmingtonSoft FayettevilleSoft Fifty SixModerately Hard FisherSoft FlippinVery Hard FloralHard FordyceSlightly Hard ForemanSoft Forrest CitySoft Fort SmithSoft FoukeHard Fountain HillModerately Hard FoxModerately Hard FranklinHard Frenchmans BayouSoft FultonSoft GamalielVery Hard GarfieldSoft Garland CityHard GassvilleVery Hard GentrySoft GeorgetownSoft GeppSoft GillettVery Hard GillhamSoft GilmoreHard GlencoeSoft GlenwoodSoft GoodwinSoft GouldSoft GrannisSoft GrapevineSoft Gravel RidgeSoft GravellySoft GravetteSoft Green ForestSlightly Hard GreenbrierSoft GreenwaySoft GreenwoodSoft Greers FerrySoft GriffithvilleSoft GrubbsVery Hard GuionSoft GurdonSoft GuySoft HackettSoft HagarvilleSoft HamburgModerately Hard HamptonSoft HanoverModerately Hard HardyVery Hard HarrellSoft HarrietSoft HarrisburgSoft HarrisonHard HartfordSoft HartmanSoft HarveySoft HastySoft HatfieldSoft HattievilleSoft HaynesSoft HazenVery Hard Heber SpringsSoft HectorSoft HelenaSlightly Hard HendersonVery Hard HensleySoft HethSoft Hickory RidgeVery Hard HigginsonSoft HindsvilleSoft HiwasseSoft Holly GroveSlightly Hard HoratioSoft Horseshoe BendHard Hot Springs VillSoft HoustonSoft HoxieVery Hard HughesSoft HumnokeSlightly Hard HumphreyVery Hard HunterSoft HuntingtonSoft HuntsvilleSoft HuttigSoft ImbodenVery Hard IngallsModerately Hard JacksonportSlightly Hard JacksonvilleSoft JasperSoft JeffersonSoft JerseySlightly Hard JerusalemSoft JessievilleSoft JoinerSoft JonesboroSoft JordanModerately Hard JudsoniaSoft Junction CitySoft KeiserSoft KensettSoft KeoSlightly Hard KingslandSlightly Hard KingstonSoft KirbySoft KnobelSoft KnoxvilleSoft LafeSoft Lake CatherineSoft Lake CitySoft Lake HamiltonSoft Lake VillageSoft LakeviewVery Hard LamarSoft LambrookSoft LangleySoft LeachvilleSoft Lead HillHard LeolaSoft LepantoSoft LeslieModerately Hard LetonaSoft LewisvilleSoft LexaSoft LincolnSoft Little RockSoft LockesburgSoft Locust GroveHard LondonSoft LonokeSlightly Hard LonsdaleSoft LouannSoft LowellSoft LuxoraSoft LynnVery Hard MadisonSoft MagazineModerately Hard MagnessHard MagnoliaSoft MalvernSoft Mammoth SpringVery Hard ManningSoft MansfieldSoft MarcellaModerately Hard MariannaSlightly Hard MarionHard Marked TreeSoft MarmadukeSoft MarshallSoft MarvellSlightly Hard MaumelleSoft MayflowerSoft MaynardVery Hard MaysvilleSoft Mc CaskillSoft Mc CroryHard Mc DougalSoft Mc GeheeVery Hard Mc NeilSoft Mc RaeSoft MellwoodSoft MenaSoft MenifeeSoft MidlandSoft MidwayVery Hard Mineral SpringsSoft MinturnSoft MonetteSoft MonroeSoft MonticelloSoft MontroseVery Hard MoroSlightly Hard MorriltonSoft MorrowSoft MoscowSoft Mount HollySoft Mount IdaSoft Mount JudeaSoft Mount PleasantHard Mount VernonSoft Mountain HomeVery Hard MountainburgVery Hard MulberryVery Hard MurfreesboroSoft NashvilleSoft Natural DamVery Hard New BlaineSoft New EdinburgSlightly Hard NewarkHard NewhopeSoft NewnataModerately Hard NewportSlightly Hard NorforkVery Hard NormanSoft NorphletSoft NorthSoft North CedarSoft North Little RocSoft O KeanSoft Oak GroveSlightly Hard OaklandHard OarkSoft OdenSoft OgdenHard Oil TroughHard OkolonaSoft OlaSoft OmahaHard OneidaSoft OniaModerately Hard OsceolaSlightly Hard OxfordModerately Hard OzanSoft OzarkSlightly Hard OzoneSoft PalestineSoft PangburnSoft ParagouldSoft ParisSoft ParkdaleSoft ParkinSoft ParksSoft ParonSoft ParthenonSoft PattersonHard PaynewaySoft Pea RidgeSoft Peach OrchardSoft PearcySoft PeelSoft PelsorSoft Pencil BluffSoft PerrySoft PerrytownSoft PerryvilleSoft PettigrewSoft PiggottSoft PindallSoft Pine BluffSoft PinevilleSoft PlainviewSoft Pleasant GroveModerately Hard Pleasant PlainsHard PlumervilleSoft PocahontasVery Hard PollardSoft Poplar GroveSlightly Hard PortiaVery Hard PortlandVery Hard PottsvilleSoft PoughkeepsieSoft PowhatanSoft PoyenSoft Prairie GroveSoft PrattsvilleSoft PrescottSoft PrimSoft ProctorHard PyattHard QuitmanSoft RatcliffModerately Hard RavendenVery Hard Ravenden SpringsVery Hard ReaderSoft RectorSoft RedfieldSoft ReedModerately Hard ReydellSoft ReynoVery Hard RisonSoft RivervaleSoft RoeSoft RogersSoft RohwerVery Hard RolandSoft RomanceSoft Rose BudSoft RoselandSoft RosieHard RosstonSoft RoverSoft RoyalSoft RudyVery Hard RussellSoft RussellvilleSoft SaffellSoft SageSoft Saint CharlesVery Hard Saint FrancisSoft Saint JoeHard Saint PaulSoft SaratogaSlightly Hard ScotlandSoft ScottSlightly Hard ScrantonSoft Shannon HillsSoft SheridanSoft SherrillSoft SherwoodSoft ShirleySoft SidneyHard Siloam SpringsSoft SimsSoft SmackoverSoft SmithvilleSoft Snow LakeSoft SolgohachiaSoft SpringdaleSoft SpringfieldSoft StampsSlightly Hard Star CitySoft State UniversitySoft StephensSoft StorySoft StrongSoft SturkieSoft StuttgartVery Hard SubiacoSoft SuccessSoft Sulphur RockHard Sulphur SpringsSoft SummersSoft SummitHard SwiftonVery Hard TamoVery Hard TaylorSoft ThidaHard ThorntonSlightly Hard TichnorVery Hard TillySoft TraskwoodSoft TuckerSoft TuckermanSlightly Hard Tumbling ShoalsSoft TupeloSoft TurnerSoft TurrellHard Twin GrovesSoft TyronzaSoft UlmVery Hard UmpireSoft UniontownVery Hard Valley SpringsHard Van BurenVery Hard VandervoortSoft VanndaleSoft VendorHard ViloniaSoft ViolaHard Violet HillSoft WabashSoft WabbasekaSoft WaldoSoft WaldronSoft WardSlightly Hard Warm SpringsSoft WarrenSoft WashingtonSoft WatsonVery Hard WavelandSoft WeinerSoft WesleySoft West ForkSoft West HelenaSoft West MemphisHard Western GroveHard WheatleySoft WickesSoft WidemanSoft WidenerSlightly Hard WilburnSoft WillifordVery Hard WilmarSoft WilmotVery Hard WilsonSoft WiltonSlightly Hard WinchesterModerately Hard WinslowSoft WinthropSoft WisemanSoft WitterSoft Witts SpringsSoft WoodsonSoft WoosterSoft WrightsvilleSoft WynneVery Hard YellvilleHard ZionModerately Hard