Median household income in Arkansas is $60,773 and median rent is $947 a month, per Census 2020 to 2024 estimates. Compare at least three written offers on APR and total cost, verify the lender's license with the Arkansas State Bank Department, and never pay a fee before funding.
On this page
- Arkansas by the numbers
- What the numbers mean for Arkansas borrowers
- Largest places in Arkansas
- Mid-size Arkansas communities
- Counties with the most residents
- How Arkansas earns a living
- More context for Arkansas budgets
- Checking a lender in Arkansas
- Can Arkansas residents use the questionnaire?
- Local guides in Arkansas
- Frequently asked questions
Arkansas by the numbers
Here is Arkansas next to the U.S. on income, housing, work and commuting, with a rank among the 50 states plus DC for each line. Source: ACS five-year estimates for 2020 to 2024.
| What we measured | Arkansas | United States | Rank of 51 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,773 | $80,734 | 48th |
| Median gross rent per month | $947 | $1,413 | 49th |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 45% | 51% | 43rd |
| Median home value | $188,000 | $332,700 | 49th |
| Homes owner-occupied | 66% | 65% | 36th |
| Mortgaged owners paying 30%+ on housing | 22% | 28% | 43rd |
| Home value to income ratio | 3.1x | 4.1x | 44th |
| Workers commuting 45+ minutes | 11% | 17% | 36th |
| Workers who work from home | 9% | 15% | 48th |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 26% | 36% | 49th |
| Median age | 38.5 | 38.9 | 35th |
| Gini index (inequality) | 0.479 | 0.483 | 10th |
| Share of households under $35,000 | 29% | 21% | 4th |
| Share of households at $100,000+ | 28% | 41% | 49th |
| Poverty rate | 16.0% | 12.5% | 6th |
| Jobless rate, 5-year ACS | 4.9% | 5.2% | 24th |
What the numbers mean for Arkansas borrowers
In Arkansas, 28% of households report $100,000 or more in income and 29% report under $35,000, against 41% and 21% for the country. A wide spread like this is why one-size borrowing advice fails; size the loan to your own pay, not to the state's.
Commutes shape budgets too: 11% of Arkansas workers travel 45 minutes or more each way (U.S.: 17%), and 9% work from home. Remote and self-employed workers should expect lenders to ask for bank statements or tax returns in place of a simple pay stub.
Ranked by median household income, Arkansas comes in 48th with $60,773, 25% below the country's $80,734. Think of the median as the budget a typical offer is written for; if yours is tighter, borrow less.
The rent burden rate in Arkansas is 45% of renter households (U.S. 51%), on a median rent of $947. Renters have no home equity to fall back on, which makes comparing APR and total cost more important, not less.
Largest places in Arkansas
The 12 most populous places in Arkansas, with Census income, rent and home value for each. Linked names have their own local guide on this site.
| Place | County | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Median home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock | Pulaski County | 203,436 | $63,003 | $1,106 | $236,400 |
| Fayetteville | Washington County | 99,319 | $62,695 | $1,065 | $349,600 |
| Fort Smith | Sebastian County | 89,805 | $54,816 | $884 | $178,100 |
| Springdale | Benton County, Washington County | 88,160 | $69,787 | $1,071 | $261,800 |
| Jonesboro | Craighead County | 80,137 | $55,424 | $956 | $223,200 |
| Rogers | Benton County | 72,981 | $86,728 | $1,270 | $308,200 |
| Conway | Faulkner County | 67,642 | $63,004 | $1,011 | $252,100 |
| North Little Rock | Pulaski County | 64,538 | $52,707 | $1,069 | $178,900 |
| Bentonville | Benton County | 58,249 | $112,792 | $1,344 | $428,500 |
| Pine Bluff | Jefferson County | 39,743 | $42,718 | $855 | $89,400 |
| Hot Springs | Garland County | 37,920 | $47,760 | $914 | $165,500 |
| Benton | Saline County | 36,595 | $72,876 | $1,072 | $212,700 |
Arkansas has 9 places with 50,000 or more residents and 39 with at least 10,000. Among places of 20,000 or more, median household income runs from $42,674 in West Memphis to $115,713 in Centerton. Centerton renters pay the most ($1,465 at the median) and Russellville renters the least ($842).
Mid-size Arkansas communities
20 more Arkansas places, largest first.
| Community | Population | Median income | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sherwood | 33,070 | $81,328 | $1,101 |
| Bella Vista | 31,697 | $88,055 | $1,395 |
| Paragould | 30,215 | $56,980 | $925 |
| Jacksonville | 29,221 | $49,666 | $930 |
| Texarkana | 29,177 | $45,835 | $909 |
| Russellville | 29,162 | $50,877 | $842 |
| Cabot | 26,960 | $75,000 | $1,110 |
| West Memphis | 23,929 | $42,674 | $870 |
| Van Buren | 23,763 | $61,149 | $847 |
| Searcy | 23,340 | $52,170 | $905 |
| Centerton | 21,920 | $115,713 | $1,465 |
| Bryant | 21,504 | $83,024 | $993 |
| Maumelle | 19,373 | $103,333 | $1,047 |
| Siloam Springs | 18,699 | $72,065 | $1,003 |
| El Dorado | 17,115 | $49,244 | $880 |
| Hot Springs Village | 16,327 | $75,370 | $1,209 |
| Marion | 13,623 | $78,330 | $1,148 |
| Harrison | 13,350 | $44,056 | $753 |
| Mountain Home | 13,108 | $41,274 | $865 |
| Blytheville | 12,790 | $47,865 | $855 |
Measured as a year of median rent against median household income, housing weighs most in Mountain Home (25%) and least in Maumelle (12%) among these 20 places.
Counties with the most residents
The largest 16 of Arkansas's 75 counties, by population.
| County | Population | Median income | Median rent | Typical home value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pulaski County | 399,818 | $62,873 | $1,080 | $214,700 |
| Benton County | 303,632 | $93,506 | $1,277 | $323,500 |
| Washington County | 256,765 | $70,639 | $1,071 | $298,400 |
| Sebastian County | 128,900 | $57,790 | $886 | $176,200 |
| Faulkner County | 127,717 | $67,289 | $1,005 | $232,700 |
| Saline County | 127,479 | $79,046 | $1,033 | $221,200 |
| Craighead County | 113,249 | $59,548 | $958 | $210,400 |
| Garland County | 100,035 | $57,181 | $966 | $194,300 |
| White County | 77,838 | $55,249 | $850 | $163,600 |
| Lonoke County | 75,272 | $72,828 | $1,025 | $193,600 |
| Jefferson County | 64,802 | $51,096 | $888 | $113,400 |
| Pope County | 64,131 | $57,344 | $859 | $170,100 |
| Crawford County | 61,139 | $64,132 | $851 | $182,800 |
| Crittenden County | 47,266 | $55,358 | $911 | $160,200 |
| Greene County | 46,432 | $57,839 | $904 | $169,300 |
| Baxter County | 42,407 | $48,452 | $846 | $174,600 |
Across all 75 counties, median household income ranges from $34,375 in Lee County to $93,506 in Benton County. A statewide average hides that spread, which is why the same loan can be comfortable in one county and a stretch in the next.
How Arkansas earns a living
The jobs mix in Arkansas: the four largest industries by share of employed residents 16 and older.
| Industry | Share of Arkansas workers | National share | Gap vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Education, health care and social assistance | 24% | 24% | +0.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 13% | 11% | +2.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 13% | 10% | +2.8 pts |
| Professional, scientific and administrative services | 8% | 13% | -4.3 pts |
Arkansas's signature sector, measured against the U.S., is manufacturing at 13% of employed residents. If your income comes from self-employment or gig work, gather two years of tax returns and recent bank statements before you compare offers.
More context for Arkansas budgets
Poverty affects 16.0% of Arkansas residents (U.S. 12.5%), and the five-year average unemployment rate was 4.9%. Five-year estimates smooth out booms and slumps, so they describe the economy's shape more than its current mood.
About 66% of Arkansas homes are owner-occupied (36th of 51; U.S. 65%), and the median home is valued at $188,000, or 3.1 times the median household income. 22% of mortgaged owners are housing-cost burdened, versus 28% nationally.
Education and age round out the picture: 26% of Arkansas adults have at least a bachelor's degree (U.S.: 36%), the median age is 38.5, and the Gini index is 0.479.
Checking a lender in Arkansas
The Arkansas State Bank Department is Arkansas's state banking agency in the CSBS directory. Start there, or with NMLS Consumer Access, whenever a lender you have not heard of reaches out.
- Report fee-first offers at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Complaints can go to the state agency and to the CFPB.
- Confirm the license on NMLS Consumer Access before you upload documents.
Can Arkansas residents use the questionnaire?
You can start it, and the location step is where you find out: if partners are not yet taking Arkansas requests, you will see a short email waitlist and nothing more is asked.
Local guides in Arkansas
City-level guides for Arkansas (7 so far):
Frequently asked questions
Which agency licenses lenders in Arkansas?
In Arkansas, the Arkansas State Bank Department is the banking agency named by the Conference of State Bank Supervisors. Many lenders' state licenses also appear on NMLS Consumer Access, and the CFPB takes complaints nationwide.
What do households in Arkansas earn?
$60,773 a year in the 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, 48th among the 50 states and DC; the national median is $80,734.
What is the median rent in Arkansas?
The typical renter pays $947; the U.S. median is $1,413. In Arkansas, 45% of renting households spend 30 percent or more of income on housing.
How many Arkansas residents live below the poverty line?
16.0% in the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 estimates, compared with 12.5% nationally. Households under strain should look at free options, such as hardship plans and nonprofit counseling, before a loan.