Housing decision brief
Cleveland County, AR Housing Market
Cleveland County screens as a higher purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
39th lowest home value out of 75 Arkansas counties with data | 9th lowest rent out of 75
Median home value
$123,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$635/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$588/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.4x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
30.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$47/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower rent
$635/mo is 13% below Arkansas county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $47/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
Low disaster-risk signal
Risk score is 90.6 out of 100, a stronger cross-check for long-term ownership costs.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.58% effective property-tax rate is 9% above Arkansas county median
Health context
Health score is 27.9 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Long-term owners who care about disaster-risk exposure
Poor Fit For
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where Cleveland County is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $123,400 | $122,600 | $281,900 | Near state median1% above Arkansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $635 | $727 | $1,163 | 13% favorable13% below Arkansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $588 | $589 | $1,672 | Near state medianAt the Arkansas county median |
Median household income | $50,509 | $50,221 | $74,755 | Near state median1% above Arkansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.58% | 0.53% | 1.02% | 9% pressure9% above Arkansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 30.00% | 27.00% | N/A | 11% pressure30.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$25,109
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$25,309
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Cleveland County offers affordable rental housing at a median of $635/month , about 15.1% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
Renters in Cleveland County pay $635/month on average, compared to $588/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 7%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $25,400/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,200/year. With a median household income of $50,509, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 30.0% of renter households in Cleveland County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Cleveland County sits 8% less expensive than Desha County ($689/month) in terms of median gross rent.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Izard County, AR | $122,100 | $626/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,100 home value and $626/mo rent. |
| Polk County, AR | $122,600 | $699/mo | Same-state comparison near $122,600 home value and $699/mo rent. |
| Pike County, AR | $115,400 | $671/mo | Same-state comparison near $115,400 home value and $671/mo rent. |
| Randolph County, AR | $118,100 | $671/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,100 home value and $671/mo rent. |
| Franklin County, AR | $118,800 | $717/mo | Same-state comparison near $118,800 home value and $717/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Cleveland County
Is Cleveland County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Cleveland County?
How much income do you need for housing in Cleveland County?
What should I double-check before moving to Cleveland County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.