Chester, AR

Tucked into the Boston Mountain foothills of Crawford County, Chester is a quiet, close-knit Arkansas community of around 150 residents. It got its start as a late-19th-century railroad and timber stop, and you can still spot remnants of that past in local landmarks like the old Masonic lodge and historic schoolhouse. Today, living in Chester means enjoying peaceful mountain scenery, easy access to the Ozark National Forest, and a slow pace of life within driving distance of Fort Smith.