County housing intelligence
Arkansas Housing Market by County
Arkansas is not one housing market. Across 75 counties, the median county home value is $135,700 and the median county rent is $751/mo. The useful question is not whether Arkansas is cheap. It is which county fits your income, tax tolerance, and buy-versus-rent plan.
County median home value
$135,700
Median of county medians, less distorted by the largest metros.
County median rent
$751/mo
Gross rent includes rent plus utilities where Census reports it.
Counties compared
75
Every county with available ACS housing data in this state.
Fast answers
Start with the housing question.
Market brief
The state-level housing signal
These benchmarks use the median county in the state, not one metro-weighted average. That makes the brief better for county comparison and rural-to-urban screening.
Purchase price
State county median vs national benchmark
Rent
State county median vs national benchmark
Owner cost
State county median vs national benchmark
Income base
State county median vs national benchmark
Tax rate
State county median vs national benchmark
The Arkansas Pattern
These are the signals a statewide average hides. Start here before choosing counties to compare.
Price geography
Benton County, Washington County, Faulkner County sit at the top of the purchase market, while Lee County, Phillips County, Lafayette County anchor the lower-cost end.
Rent reality
Benton County, Pulaski County, Washington County lead on rent, while Cleveland County, Chicot County, Searcy County show where monthly lease costs are lowest.
Decision lens
Nevada County, Calhoun County, Clay County screen best for purchase affordability when home values are measured against local household income.
Best Counties by Housing Goal
Different households need different rankings. Price alone is not enough, so these groups compare rent, income, owner costs, and tax exposure.
Cheapest to buy
Lowest median home values. Useful for purchase-price screening.
- 1. Lee County
$75,300
- 2. Phillips County
$78,200
- 3. Lafayette County
$81,000
- 4. Nevada County
$83,300
- 5. Monroe County
$88,700
Best buy affordability
Lowest home-value-to-income ratios. Better than price alone.
- 1. Nevada County
1.5x home-value-to-income
- 2. Calhoun County
1.7x home-value-to-income
- 3. Clay County
1.8x home-value-to-income
- 4. Phillips County
1.9x home-value-to-income
- 5. Prairie County
1.9x home-value-to-income
Cheapest to rent
Lowest median gross rent among counties with ACS rent data.
- 1. Cleveland County
$536/mo
- 2. Chicot County
$574/mo
- 3. Searcy County
$606/mo
- 4. Woodruff County
$613/mo
- 5. Monroe County
$614/mo
Lowest rent burden
Where typical renters spend the smallest share of income on rent.
- 1. Calhoun County
21.6% rent burden
- 2. Logan County
22.5% rent burden
- 3. Polk County
23.1% rent burden
- 4. Benton County
23.2% rent burden
- 5. Madison County
23.5% rent burden
Lowest tax-rate signal
Lowest effective property-tax rates in the state data.
- 1. Montgomery County
0.32% effective tax rate
- 2. Stone County
0.32% effective tax rate
- 3. Newton County
0.38% effective tax rate
- 4. Randolph County
0.40% effective tax rate
- 5. Polk County
0.41% effective tax rate
Owner-cost advantage
Counties where median owner costs are furthest below median rent.
- 1. Perry County
$328/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 2. Nevada County
$295/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 3. Marion County
$261/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 4. Calhoun County
$257/mo cheaper to own than rent
- 5. Miller County
$247/mo cheaper to own than rent
Income-backed value
Higher-income counties that still hold a reasonable value-to-income profile.
- 1. Calhoun County
$66,809 income, 1.7x value-to-income
- 2. Nevada County
$53,886 income, 1.5x value-to-income
- 3. Grant County
$71,549 income, 2.3x value-to-income
- 4. Clay County
$51,481 income, 1.8x value-to-income
- 5. Saline County
$79,046 income, 2.8x value-to-income
Tradeoffs to Check
The best page is not the one that crowns a winner. It is the one that shows where a county can surprise you after the headline price looks attractive.
| Signal | County | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap price, weaker income base | Lee County $75,300 home value, $34,375 income | Low purchase prices can still feel tight when local wages are also low. |
| Affordable homes, higher tax rate | Phillips County $78,200 home value, 0.81% tax rate | A low home price can be offset by the annual property-tax bill. |
| Renter pressure | Nevada County $869/mo rent, 45.90% rent burden | Monthly rent alone does not show whether renters can comfortably absorb the cost. |
| Expensive, but income-supported | Benton County $323,500 home value, $93,506 income | Some high-price counties also have stronger incomes, so affordability depends on both sides of the equation. |
Lowest home values
Best value-to-income
Compare Every Arkansas County
Sorted by home-value-to-income ratio so the first rows are not just cheap counties, but counties where purchase prices look smaller relative to local income.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Income | Value/Income | Tax Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nevada County | $83,300 | $869/mo | $53,886 | 1.5x | 0.52% |
| Calhoun County | $110,700 | $769/mo | $66,809 | 1.7x | 0.47% |
| Clay County | $94,600 | $707/mo | $51,481 | 1.8x | 0.50% |
| Phillips County | $78,200 | $737/mo | $40,134 | 1.9x | 0.81% |
| Prairie County | $96,400 | $625/mo | $51,646 | 1.9x | 0.72% |
| Lafayette County | $81,000 | $755/mo | $41,278 | 2.0x | 0.61% |
| Ashley County | $91,900 | $703/mo | $44,266 | 2.1x | 0.60% |
| Lincoln County | $108,000 | $744/mo | $51,778 | 2.1x | 0.52% |
| Little River County | $113,500 | $697/mo | $53,344 | 2.1x | 0.50% |
| Monroe County | $88,700 | $614/mo | $43,214 | 2.1x | 0.51% |
| Ouachita County | $102,100 | $764/mo | $49,268 | 2.1x | 0.51% |
| St. Francis County | $90,900 | $779/mo | $42,574 | 2.1x | 0.47% |
| Jackson County | $98,300 | $668/mo | $44,218 | 2.2x | 0.57% |
| Jefferson County | $113,400 | $888/mo | $51,096 | 2.2x | 0.66% |
| Lawrence County | $98,900 | $697/mo | $44,882 | 2.2x | 0.47% |
| Lee County | $75,300 | $667/mo | $34,375 | 2.2x | 0.46% |
| Poinsett County | $103,000 | $619/mo | $46,707 | 2.2x | 0.53% |
| Sevier County | $117,600 | $751/mo | $53,527 | 2.2x | 0.44% |
| Union County | $120,900 | $847/mo | $55,259 | 2.2x | 0.57% |
| Woodruff County | $106,500 | $613/mo | $48,158 | 2.2x | 0.56% |
| Bradley County | $94,800 | $689/mo | $41,476 | 2.3x | 0.57% |
| Chicot County | $89,100 | $574/mo | $39,045 | 2.3x | 0.49% |
| Cross County | $117,500 | $764/mo | $50,863 | 2.3x | 0.51% |
| Dallas County | $97,300 | $627/mo | $42,500 | 2.3x | 0.56% |
| Franklin County | $130,800 | $719/mo | $55,886 | 2.3x | 0.49% |
| Grant County | $161,700 | $788/mo | $71,549 | 2.3x | 0.54% |
| Hempstead County | $105,700 | $815/mo | $46,787 | 2.3x | 0.57% |
| Mississippi County | $122,500 | $830/mo | $52,548 | 2.3x | 0.52% |
| Perry County | $130,200 | $805/mo | $55,764 | 2.3x | 0.49% |
| Desha County | $90,900 | $718/mo | $37,662 | 2.4x | 0.54% |
| Logan County | $139,900 | $745/mo | $58,555 | 2.4x | 0.51% |
| Sharp County | $105,100 | $766/mo | $44,637 | 2.4x | 0.56% |
| Cleveland County | $137,600 | $536/mo | $54,794 | 2.5x | 0.48% |
| Independence County | $142,600 | $845/mo | $56,609 | 2.5x | 0.53% |
| Pike County | $121,600 | $686/mo | $49,269 | 2.5x | 0.59% |
| Searcy County | $110,000 | $606/mo | $44,426 | 2.5x | 0.43% |
| Arkansas County | $138,100 | $843/mo | $53,164 | 2.6x | 0.54% |
| Izard County | $129,100 | $621/mo | $49,405 | 2.6x | 0.57% |
| Randolph County | $130,600 | $674/mo | $50,911 | 2.6x | 0.40% |
| Yell County | $143,600 | $735/mo | $55,934 | 2.6x | 0.45% |
| Columbia County | $152,100 | $649/mo | $55,334 | 2.7x | 0.47% |
| Fulton County | $113,800 | $626/mo | $42,241 | 2.7x | 0.47% |
| Hot Spring County | $151,100 | $768/mo | $55,405 | 2.7x | 0.48% |
| Lonoke County | $193,600 | $1,025/mo | $72,828 | 2.7x | 0.63% |
| Scott County | $115,000 | $722/mo | $43,270 | 2.7x | 0.43% |
| Van Buren County | $135,700 | $722/mo | $50,354 | 2.7x | 0.43% |
| Conway County | $154,100 | $755/mo | $54,187 | 2.8x | 0.56% |
| Polk County | $138,400 | $711/mo | $49,191 | 2.8x | 0.41% |
| Saline County | $221,200 | $1,033/mo | $79,046 | 2.8x | 0.62% |
| Crawford County | $182,800 | $851/mo | $64,132 | 2.9x | 0.54% |
| Crittenden County | $160,200 | $911/mo | $55,358 | 2.9x | 0.62% |
| Greene County | $169,300 | $904/mo | $57,839 | 2.9x | 0.48% |
| Johnson County | $135,300 | $728/mo | $45,995 | 2.9x | 0.52% |
| Clark County | $155,000 | $793/mo | $52,034 | 3.0x | 0.56% |
| Pope County | $170,100 | $859/mo | $57,344 | 3.0x | 0.56% |
| Sebastian County | $176,200 | $886/mo | $57,790 | 3.0x | 0.62% |
| White County | $163,600 | $850/mo | $55,249 | 3.0x | 0.46% |
| Madison County | $178,100 | $729/mo | $56,798 | 3.1x | 0.41% |
| Montgomery County | $151,900 | $636/mo | $48,906 | 3.1x | 0.32% |
| Cleburne County | $179,800 | $859/mo | $55,798 | 3.2x | 0.45% |
| Miller County | $153,900 | $892/mo | $48,836 | 3.2x | 0.61% |
| Drew County | $140,800 | $725/mo | $42,824 | 3.3x | 0.47% |
| Boone County | $188,900 | $733/mo | $55,143 | 3.4x | 0.49% |
| Garland County | $194,300 | $966/mo | $57,181 | 3.4x | 0.48% |
| Howard County | $153,900 | $690/mo | $45,603 | 3.4x | 0.42% |
| Marion County | $163,300 | $795/mo | $48,619 | 3.4x | 0.47% |
| Pulaski County | $214,700 | $1,080/mo | $62,873 | 3.4x | 0.76% |
| Benton County | $323,500 | $1,277/mo | $93,506 | 3.5x | 0.56% |
| Craighead County | $210,400 | $958/mo | $59,548 | 3.5x | 0.53% |
| Faulkner County | $232,700 | $1,005/mo | $67,289 | 3.5x | 0.54% |
| Newton County | $169,300 | $617/mo | $48,986 | 3.5x | 0.38% |
| Baxter County | $174,600 | $846/mo | $48,452 | 3.6x | 0.46% |
| Carroll County | $210,400 | $856/mo | $54,230 | 3.9x | 0.51% |
| Stone County | $171,600 | $626/mo | $40,943 | 4.2x | 0.32% |
| Washington County | $298,400 | $1,071/mo | $70,639 | 4.2x | 0.52% |
Questions This Page Answers
Each answer is generated from the current county dataset, so it changes when the underlying ACS data changes.
What is the typical home value in Arkansas by county?
What is the typical rent in Arkansas by county?
Which Arkansas counties are most affordable to buy in?
Why do cheap counties still need a closer look?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.