Housing decision brief
Woodruff County, AR Housing Market
Woodruff County screens as a below-state 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.
20th lowest home value out of 75 Arkansas counties with data | 4th lowest rent out of 75
Median home value
$106,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$613/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$555/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.2x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
27.9%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$58/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 purchase price
$106,500 median home value is 22% below Arkansas county median
Lower rent
$613/mo is 18% below Arkansas county median
Rent burden below pressure line
27.90% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $58/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$48,158 median income is 7% below Arkansas county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.56% effective property-tax rate is 10% above Arkansas county median
Health context
Health score is 28.9 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- 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 Woodruff 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. | $106,500 | $135,700 | $281,900 | 22% favorable22% below Arkansas county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $613 | $751 | $1,163 | 18% favorable18% below Arkansas county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $555 | $616 | $1,672 | 10% favorable10% below Arkansas county median |
Median household income | $48,158 | $51,646 | $74,755 | 7% pressure7% below Arkansas county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.56% | 0.51% | 1.02% | 10% pressure10% above Arkansas county median |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 27.90% | 28.00% | N/A | Near state median27.90% 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
+$23,638
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$24,372
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Woodruff County is affordable. The median rent is $595/month against a median household income of $49,982, putting rent at 14.3% of income.
Rent vs own
At $595/month rent versus $487/month in owner costs, owning is roughly $108/month cheaper , a 18% difference.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $23,800/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $20,871/year. With a median household income of $49,982, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 24.0% of renter households in Woodruff County are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Woodruff County sits 8% less expensive than Poinsett County ($647/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poinsett County, AR | $103,000 | $619/mo | Same-state comparison near $103,000 home value and $619/mo rent. |
| Searcy County, AR | $110,000 | $606/mo | Same-state comparison near $110,000 home value and $606/mo rent. |
| Prairie County, AR | $96,400 | $625/mo | Same-state comparison near $96,400 home value and $625/mo rent. |
| Fulton County, AR | $113,800 | $626/mo | Same-state comparison near $113,800 home value and $626/mo rent. |
| Izard County, AR | $129,100 | $621/mo | Same-state comparison near $129,100 home value and $621/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Woodruff County
Is Woodruff County affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Woodruff County?
How much income do you need for housing in Woodruff County?
What should I double-check before moving to Woodruff County?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.