Missouri vs Arkansas: Whose Tap Water Is Cleaner?
Tap Water Quality in Missouri (76.2/100) vs Arkansas (83.7/100) — a 9% gap between neighbors, explained with July 2026 data.
Missouri and Arkansas share a border, but for tap water quality they don't share much else: Missouri averages 76.2/100 (rank #47 of 51) and Arkansas averages 83.7/100 (rank #24) as of July 2026 — a 9% gap between neighbors.
| Missouri | Arkansas | U.S. benchmark | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality score | 76.2/100 | 83.7/100 | 84.5/100 |
| Violations per water system | 1.8 | 4.1 | 2.5 |
Missouri in context
Missouri ranks near the bottom for tap water quality — its score of 76.2/100 puts it #47 of 51, and its water systems averaged 1.8 health-based violations each in 2024 — better than the U.S. average of 2.5. That average reflects contaminants exceeding EPA limits or health guidelines in a meaningful share of its cities.
Arkansas in context
Arkansas lands mid-pack for tap water quality: a score of 83.7/100 ranks #24 of 51, though its water systems averaged 4.1 health-based violations each in 2024, worse than the U.S. average of 2.5.
Full local breakdowns: Missouri · Arkansas · all states ranked.
Averages describe states, not your faucet. A certified home water test screens for lead, nitrates, bacteria and dozens of other contaminants — the same categories EPA regulates.
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