Most Arkansas homes are wood-frame with drywall interiors, and many are finished outside with brick veneer or siding, so studs at 16 inches on center are the main mounting point. Manufactured homes are a notable share of housing, apartments are concentrated in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Bentonville, and tornado risk has led to growing use of safe rooms.

median year homes were built: 1989; median year homes were built
built in 2000 or later: 33%; built in 2000 or later
built before 1960: 12.3%; built before 1960
single-family homes: 72%; single-family homes
in buildings with 5+ units: 11.1%; in buildings with 5+ units
mobile homes: 10.5%; mobile homes

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 2024 1-year (tables B25035, B25034, B25024)

Common wall types

Wood-frame walls with brick or siding

Where: Most single-family houses in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Bentonville, Conway and Jonesboro.

Mounting: Brick on these homes is a veneer, so the inside is drywall on studs. Mount into studs behind the drywall.

Manufactured and mobile homes

Where: About one in ten Arkansas housing units, common in rural areas.

Mounting: Thin walls and sometimes wider stud spacing. Find framing, and add blocking for heavy TVs or full-motion arms.

Older plaster or paneled homes

Where: Pre-1960 houses in Hot Springs, Eureka Springs, Fort Smith and older Little Rock neighborhoods.

Mounting: Plaster over lath can crack; pre-drill slowly and find framing. Wood paneling often sits over studs.

Concrete and block

Where: Basements and storm shelters, safe rooms, and some foundations.

Mounting: Needs a hammer drill and masonry anchors; safe room walls are reinforced and should not be drilled without guidance.

Metal-stud apartments and condos

Where: Mid-size apartment buildings in Little Rock, Fayetteville and Bentonville.

Mounting: Use toggle anchors or blocking and check lease or association rules.

Tips before you mount

Stud walls: studs are usually 16" on center. Lag the mount into at least two studs with 5/16" lag bolts, typically about 2.5" to 3" long. A full-motion arm puts much more leverage on the wall than a flat mount, so it needs studs or masonry and should never hang on drywall anchors alone.
Brick veneer homes: mount through the interior drywall into studs. For exterior brick patio walls, drill into solid brick with 1/4" concrete screws or 3/8" sleeve anchors, avoiding mortar joints where possible.
Manufactured homes: use studs where possible and add wood blocking or a backer board across studs for heavier TVs.
Hiding wires: NEC 400.12 does not allow a regular TV power cord to be concealed inside a wall. Use an in-wall rated recessed power kit, and use CL2 or CL3 rated low-voltage cable for in-wall HDMI and speaker runs.
Safe rooms and storm shelters: do not drill into walls of a tornado safe room without guidance, since steel or plywood sheathing and anchoring are part of its rating.
Covered porches and outdoor TVs: Arkansas summers are hot and humid. Use an outdoor-rated TV, stainless-steel mount hardware and weather-sealed connections, and unplug or cover units during severe storms.
Over a fireplace: check the TV maker heat limits and use a tilting mount; avoid mounting directly above an active wood-burning firebox.
Before work starts, tell the installer the wall type (studs, masonry, plaster or concrete), the TV size and weight, and the mount type. These change the anchors, labor time and price.

Sources: Census Reporter, ACS 2024 1-year: Arkansas (B25035, B25034, B25024) · Nudura: Building to Withstand Tornadoes in Arkansas · Builder: How to Build a Tornado Safe Room. General guidance only — your installer will confirm the right method for your wall.