1st Advantage MortgageThe median Montgomery County household earns $48,906, and 22% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Arkansas license first.
On this page
- Getting oriented in Montgomery County
- Renting and owning in Montgomery County
- Income in Montgomery County compared with Arkansas
- How Montgomery County residents earn a living
- Places inside Montgomery County
- The counties around Montgomery County
- What a median Montgomery County budget can carry
- Reading the Montgomery County data as a borrower
- People and households in Montgomery County
- Licensing and complaints for Montgomery County
- Checklist for Montgomery County applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in Montgomery County
Montgomery County is home to about 8,553 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 64th most populous of 75 county-level areas in Arkansas. Spread over 780 square miles, that works out to roughly 11.0 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 6 places in the county (4 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Mount Ida, with about 1,376 residents, or 16% of the county. Small populations mean wide margins of error, so read every Montgomery County figure on this page as a rough guide.
Renting and owning in Montgomery County
Renters in Montgomery County pay a median of $636 a month, 33% below the Arkansas figure of $947. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 58% of renter households here. Home values center on $151,900, or 3.1 years of median income. 81% of Montgomery County households own their home and 19% rent. The median year built is 1989.
| Home costs | Montgomery County | Arkansas | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $636/mo | $947/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $151,900 | $188,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 81% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 58% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 22% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 32% | 14% | n/a |
Because most Montgomery County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Income in Montgomery County compared with Arkansas
At $48,906, the typical Montgomery County household income is 26% below the median U.S. county ($65,681). Only 48 Arkansas counties post a higher median.
| Yearly household income | Montgomery County | Gap to Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 37.0% | +8.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 43.4% | +0.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 15.0% | -6.3 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.7% | -2.0 pts |
Some 37% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 20% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 22.4% of Montgomery County residents in poverty, against 16.0% across Arkansas. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.463 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $48,906 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
How Montgomery County residents earn a living
By the Census industry count, 25% of employed Montgomery County residents work in education and health care and 13% in retail trade. Transportation, warehousing and utilities stands out: 10% of workers here, versus 6% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.8% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are common here: 29% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 5.3% of the total (5.9% statewide).
| Where residents work | Montgomery County | Difference from Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.4% | +1.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 13.4% | +0.2 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 10.5% | +4.2 pts |
| Manufacturing | 9.6% | -3.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.4% | +1.5 pts |
| Construction | 6.9% | -0.4 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Places inside Montgomery County
Here are the 6 most populous of the county's 6 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 26% of Montgomery County residents live in one of the 6. No Montgomery County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 6.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount Ida | city | 1,376 | $37,045 | $576 | 2 mi |
| Oden | town | 347 | $43,718 | $725 | 9 mi |
| Norman | town | 339 | $76,563 | $538 | 6 mi |
| Black Springs | town | 101 | $73,333 | n/a | 7 mi |
| Pencil Bluff | CDP | 51 | n/a | n/a | 7 mi |
| Caddo Gap | CDP | 27 | n/a | n/a | 10 mi |
A CDP is a named community without its own municipal government.
The counties around Montgomery County
Pike County is closest, 27 miles from center to center; the sixth, Howard County, is 37 miles off. Garland County leads the group on income ($57,181), Scott County trails ($43,270), and Montgomery County out-earns 2 of the six.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Montgomery County | - | $48,906 | $636/mo | 81% |
| Pike County, AR | 27 mi | $49,269 | $686/mo | 75% |
| Garland County, AR | 30 mi | $57,181 | $966/mo | 69% |
| Scott County, AR | 31 mi | $43,270 | $722/mo | 78% |
| Polk County, AR | 32 mi | $49,191 | $711/mo | 79% |
| Yell County, AR | 34 mi | $55,934 | $735/mo | 68% |
| Howard County, AR | 37 mi | $45,603 | $690/mo | 73% |
What a median Montgomery County budget can carry
Montgomery County at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $4,076 a month: gross income for a household at the Montgomery County median
- Less median rent of $636, which is 16% of it
- $1,116: what a 43% ratio leaves once rent is paid
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Montgomery County's.
Reading the Montgomery County data as a borrower
What the Montgomery County figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Health costs. With 10% of the county uninsured, an interest-free hospital payment plan usually beats a loan (medical bills).
- Long drives. With 29% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many Montgomery County budgets.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 28% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Benefit income. With half of residents older than 51, lenders often see pension and Social Security income, which counts like wages.
People and households in Montgomery County
17% of Montgomery County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. 10.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Montgomery County | All of Arkansas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.8 | 38.5 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.7% | 25.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 11.1% | 11.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 10.2% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.3% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 22.4% | 16.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.8% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Montgomery County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 29.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 23.6% |
| 30 to 44 min | 17.4% |
| 45 to 59 min | 12.8% |
| 60+ min | 16.4% |
Licensing and complaints for Montgomery County
The Arkansas State Bank Department is the place to verify any lender's Arkansas license. Banks and credit unions have their own regulators, and the CFPB takes complaints about any lender. The Arkansas guide covers state rules in more detail.
Checklist for Montgomery County applicants
A short checklist for Montgomery County borrowers:
- Price the Montgomery County expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Verify the Arkansas license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
The Arkansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Montgomery County a high-income county?
Its $48,906 median ranks 49th of 75 Arkansas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How does Montgomery County rent compare with Arkansas?
$636 locally versus $947 for the state, 33% below.
What are the biggest places in Montgomery County?
By population: Mount Ida, Oden, Norman, Black Springs, Pencil Bluff. The county has 6 Census places in all.
Will a Montgomery County address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Arkansas as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.
Who regulates personal lenders for Montgomery County residents?
The Arkansas State Bank Department licenses consumer lenders in Arkansas; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.