Camden Arkansas: Small-Town Vibe, Big-City Opportunity

A career isn’t all about where you work, it’s also about the quality of life where you live. Camden offers a slower pace, friendly people and loads of natural beauty and recreation to help you make the most of your off-time. 

“If you enjoy small town life, Camden’s a good place to live,” said James Silliman, executive director for the Ouachita Partnership for Economic Development. ‘ ‘We have some nice amenities and restaurants and outdoor recreation. Hunting down in this part of the state is always a big recreational sport.” 

With an extensive parks system and well-kept trails, outdoor activities are plentiful in this community. Several new businesses are breathing life into downtown spaces too, led by the award-winning Native Dog Brewery, which shares the community with one of the oldest continually operating eateries in Arkansas, the White House Cafe. While not the oldest restaurant in Arkansas, it is believed to hold the oldest liquor license in the state. 

“Having moved here from a similar-sized town in Oklahoma, I can tell you Camden has the key things covered,” said John Schafftzel, president of Highland Industrial Park “You’ve got places you can go out to dinner. You’ve got places that you can go for entertainment or to watch college sporting events. The hospital system is a county-based hospital system, which is great. The basics that you need are here. It’s a great quality of life.”