1st Advantage MortgageStone County households have a median income of $40,943 and median rent of $626 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Stone County by the numbers
- What it costs to live in Stone County
- How much Stone County households make
- Work, industries and travel time in Stone County
- Places inside Stone County
- Regional comparison for Stone County
- Stone County households compared
- What the numbers mean for Stone County borrowers
- Debt-to-income at Stone County's medians
- Licensing and complaints for Stone County
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Stone County by the numbers
Stone County is home to about 12,568 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 55th most populous of 75 county-level areas in Arkansas. It covers 606 square miles of land, or about 21 people per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Stone County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 4 places in the county (2 incorporated, 2 census-designated); the largest is Mountain View, with about 2,913 residents, or 23% of the county.
What it costs to live in Stone County
A typical Stone County rental runs $626 a month including utilities, which is 34% below Arkansas. 42% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 21% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $171,600, about 4.2 times the median household income. Owners occupy 76% of homes. Median construction year: 1988.
| Measure | Stone County | Arkansas | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $626/mo | $947/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $171,600 | $188,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 76% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 42% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 34% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 23.6% | 11.0% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 23% | 14% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like Stone County, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
How much Stone County households make
At $40,943, the typical Stone County household income is 38% below the median U.S. county ($65,681).
| Band | Stone County | Compared with Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 45.4% | +16.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.4% | -1.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 11.3% | -9.9 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 1.9% | -4.8 pts |
About 45% of households earn under $35,000, while 13% clear $100,000. The poverty rate is 19.3%, 3 points higher than the state's 16.0%. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.455 here. None of these numbers decides a Stone County application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Work, industries and travel time in Stone County
Education and health care employs 23% of working residents, the largest share; manufacturing is next with 13%. The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 7% locally and 2% for Arkansas. The survey's unemployment rate for Stone County averages 3.2% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 4.9%). Long commutes are the exception here: 14% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 8.9% of the total (5.9% statewide).
| Top industries | Stone County share | +/- vs Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 22.5% | -1.4 pts |
| Manufacturing | 12.9% | +0.2 pts |
| Construction | 11.5% | +4.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.6% | +1.7 pts |
| Retail trade | 8.8% | -4.4 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.1% | +1.7 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
Places inside Stone County
Here are the 4 most populous of the county's 4 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 29% of Stone County residents live in one of the 4. This guide covers each of the 4 places and the rural areas around them.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain View | city | 2,913 | $29,172 | $396 | 2 mi |
| Fox | CDP | 381 | $117,857 | n/a | 10 mi |
| Fifty-Six | city | 205 | $54,375 | $863 | 9 mi |
| Pleasant Grove | CDP | 186 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
Regional comparison for Stone County
Six nearby counties, 20 to 34 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $44,426 in Searcy County to $56,609 in Independence County; all six of these neighbors top Stone County's median.
| County | Distance | Median income | Median rent | Owners |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stone County | - | $40,943 | $626/mo | 76% |
| Cleburne County, AR | 20 mi | $55,798 | $859/mo | 81% |
| Izard County, AR | 21 mi | $49,405 | $621/mo | 75% |
| Van Buren County, AR | 28 mi | $50,354 | $722/mo | 78% |
| Baxter County, AR | 31 mi | $48,452 | $846/mo | 75% |
| Searcy County, AR | 31 mi | $44,426 | $606/mo | 79% |
| Independence County, AR | 34 mi | $56,609 | $845/mo | 69% |
Stone County households compared
16% of Stone County adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. About 8% go without health insurance.
| Stone County | Arkansas | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 49.2 | 38.5 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 15.8% | 25.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 13.1% | 11.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.0% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 8.9% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.0% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 19.3% | 16.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.2% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of Stone County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 39.6% |
| 15 to 29 min | 26.4% |
| 30 to 44 min | 20.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.7% |
| 60+ min | 7.2% |
What the numbers mean for Stone County borrowers
Where the Stone County numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- Manufactured homes. 24% of Stone County housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- Older households. A 49.2 median age means fixed-income borrowing is common; a fixed payment and short term limit risk.
- Free help first. 19% of residents live below the poverty line; utility, rent and food programs cost nothing to repay (free options).
Debt-to-income at Stone County's medians
The debt-to-income ratio is the main affordability test lenders use. Applied to Stone County's medians:
- Median income divided by twelve: $3,412 before taxes
- Median rent: $626, or 18 cents of every gross dollar
- Under a 36% cap, $1,228 total minus rent leaves $602
- Under a 43% cap, $1,467 total minus rent leaves $841
Two-income households and single earners in Stone County land in very different places on this math, so run it for your own budget.
Licensing and complaints for Stone 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. More on Arkansas: Arkansas personal loans.
Before you sign
Steps that save money for Stone County residents:
- Borrow the amount the job needs; extra cash adds interest.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Arkansas.
- Confirm the first due date before setting up autopay.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Arkansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
Is Stone County a high-income county?
Its $40,943 median ranks 71st of 75 Arkansas counties and compares with $65,681 for the median U.S. county.
How much is rent in Stone County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $626 a month; 42% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
Should Stone County homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 76% of Stone County homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
Which towns does the Stone County guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 4 Census places: Mountain View, Fox, Fifty-Six, Pleasant Grove.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Stone County or elsewhere in Arkansas, the same rules apply.