Renting
Data from November 2026
Renting in Arkansas
The typical rent in Arkansas is $947 a month (Average 2020–2024). HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms is about $1,061 (Fiscal year 2027, population-weighted average): paying it without spending more than 30% of income takes $20.40 an hour full time. Here are the figures by size and by county, how many households spend too much, and where to ask for help.
Key numbers in Arkansas
- Typical rent
- $947
- per month, Average 2020–2024
- 33% less than the U.S.
- Fair market rent, 2 BR
- $1,061
- HUD, Fiscal year 2027, weighted average
- From $909 to $1,301 depending on the county.
- Wage needed
- $20.40
- per hour, 2 bedrooms
- About $42,440 a year to stay under 30% of income.
- Burdened households
- 45%
- spend 30% or more on rent
- Nationwide, 51%.
Fair market rent
What HUD sets by size
HUD publishes a fair market rent every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they cover. Here it runs from the cheapest to the most expensive area of Arkansas, with the hourly wage it takes to pay it without going past 30% of income (40 hours a week).
Includes basic utilities. It is neither the lowest nor the highest rent on the market: it is a reference point.
-
Studio
Wage: $12.17–$21.06 an hour
Lowest: $633 Highest: $1,095
-
1 bedroom
Wage: $13.37–$22.90 an hour
Lowest: $695 Highest: $1,191
-
2 bedrooms
Wage: $17.48–$25.02 an hour
Lowest: $909 Highest: $1,301
-
3 bedrooms
Wage: $20.83–$33.44 an hour
Lowest: $1,083 Highest: $1,739
-
4 bedrooms
Wage: $22.98–$40.37 an hour
Lowest: $1,195 Highest: $2,099
Each bar runs from the cheapest area to the most expensive; all share one scale that starts at zero. Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site)
Rent burden
How many households spend too much
HUD counts rent as a burden when it reaches 30% of income or more. In Arkansas, 45% of renter households are in that position; nationwide, 51% (Average 2020–2024, Census).
Paying too much rent leaves little for food, transportation and savings. If that is you, the agencies below can guide you for free.
45%
of renter households spend 30% or more of their income on rent.
405,123 renter households in Arkansas
- Spend half or more of their income 21%
- Spend 30% or more, but less than half 23%
- Spend less than 30% 55%
By place
Every county, with its figure
The 2-bedroom fair market rent, the typical rent, the hourly wage it takes and the share of burdened households, in every county in Arkansas. Highest fair market rent first.
| Crittenden County | $1,301 | $911 | $25.02 | 45% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benton County | $1,256 | $1,277 | $24.15 | 33% |
| Washington County | $1,256 | $1,071 | $24.15 | 45% |
| Madison County | $1,256 | $729 | $24.15 | — |
| Pulaski County | $1,121 | $1,080 | $21.56 | 48% |
| Saline County | $1,121 | $1,033 | $21.56 | 37% |
| Lonoke County | $1,121 | $1,025 | $21.56 | 40% |
| Faulkner County | $1,121 | $1,005 | $21.56 | 46% |
| Perry County | $1,121 | $805 | $21.56 | 27% |
| Miller County | $1,118 | $892 | $21.50 | 52% |
| Garland County | $1,110 | $966 | $21.35 | 45% |
| Calhoun County | $1,084 | $769 | $20.85 | — |
| Craighead County | $1,079 | $958 | $20.75 | 51% |
| Carroll County | $1,005 | $856 | $19.33 | 48% |
| Cleburne County | $997 | $859 | $19.17 | 45% |
| Baxter County | $995 | $846 | $19.13 | 51% |
| Sebastian County | $979 | $886 | $18.83 | 42% |
| Crawford County | $979 | $851 | $18.83 | 40% |
| Union County | $962 | $847 | $18.50 | 44% |
| Nevada County | $956 | $869 | $18.38 | 73% |
| Jefferson County | $955 | $888 | $18.37 | 46% |
| Pope County | $948 | $859 | $18.23 | 43% |
| White County | $948 | $850 | $18.23 | 49% |
| Columbia County | $947 | $649 | $18.21 | 31% |
| St. Francis County | $944 | $779 | $18.15 | 55% |
| Arkansas County | $942 | $843 | $18.12 | 47% |
| Greene County | $935 | $904 | $17.98 | 49% |
| Independence County | $934 | $845 | $17.96 | 43% |
| Clark County | $928 | $793 | $17.85 | 48% |
| Hot Spring County | $916 | $768 | $17.62 | 34% |
| Stone County | $916 | $626 | $17.62 | 42% |
| Marion County | $915 | $795 | $17.60 | 42% |
| Mississippi County | $909 | $830 | $17.48 | 51% |
| Hempstead County | $909 | $815 | $17.48 | 62% |
| Grant County | $909 | $788 | $17.48 | 50% |
| Sharp County | $909 | $766 | $17.48 | 38% |
| Cross County | $909 | $764 | $17.48 | 49% |
| Ouachita County | $909 | $764 | $17.48 | 51% |
| Conway County | $909 | $755 | $17.48 | 49% |
| Lafayette County | $909 | $755 | $17.48 | — |
| Sevier County | $909 | $751 | $17.48 | 43% |
| Logan County | $909 | $745 | $17.48 | 36% |
| Lincoln County | $909 | $744 | $17.48 | 36% |
| Phillips County | $909 | $737 | $17.48 | 59% |
| Yell County | $909 | $735 | $17.48 | 35% |
| Boone County | $909 | $733 | $17.48 | 40% |
| Johnson County | $909 | $728 | $17.48 | 50% |
| Drew County | $909 | $725 | $17.48 | 43% |
| Scott County | $909 | $722 | $17.48 | 53% |
| Van Buren County | $909 | $722 | $17.48 | 54% |
| Franklin County | $909 | $719 | $17.48 | 45% |
| Desha County | $909 | $718 | $17.48 | 46% |
| Polk County | $909 | $711 | $17.48 | 33% |
| Clay County | $909 | $707 | $17.48 | 40% |
| Ashley County | $909 | $703 | $17.48 | 49% |
| Lawrence County | $909 | $697 | $17.48 | 43% |
| Little River County | $909 | $697 | $17.48 | 43% |
| Howard County | $909 | $690 | $17.48 | 53% |
| Bradley County | $909 | $689 | $17.48 | 48% |
| Pike County | $909 | $686 | $17.48 | 61% |
| Randolph County | $909 | $674 | $17.48 | 46% |
| Jackson County | $909 | $668 | $17.48 | 47% |
| Lee County | $909 | $667 | $17.48 | — |
| Montgomery County | $909 | $636 | $17.48 | 58% |
| Dallas County | $909 | $627 | $17.48 | 40% |
| Fulton County | $909 | $626 | $17.48 | 52% |
| Prairie County | $909 | $625 | $17.48 | 45% |
| Izard County | $909 | $621 | $17.48 | 35% |
| Poinsett County | $909 | $619 | $17.48 | 49% |
| Newton County | $909 | $617 | $17.48 | 54% |
| Monroe County | $909 | $614 | $17.48 | 38% |
| Woodruff County | $909 | $613 | $17.48 | 46% |
| Searcy County | $909 | $606 | $17.48 | — |
| Chicot County | $909 | $574 | $17.48 | 42% |
| Cleveland County | $909 | $536 | $17.48 | 61% |
- Crittenden $1,301$25.02
- Benton $1,256$24.15
- Washington $1,256$24.15
- Madison $1,256$24.15
- Pulaski $1,121$21.56
- Saline $1,121$21.56
- Lonoke $1,121$21.56
- Faulkner $1,121$21.56
- Perry $1,121$21.56
- Miller $1,118$21.50
- Garland $1,110$21.35
- Calhoun $1,084$20.85
- Craighead $1,079$20.75
- Carroll $1,005$19.33
- Cleburne $997$19.17
- Baxter $995$19.13
- Sebastian $979$18.83
- Crawford $979$18.83
- Union $962$18.50
- Nevada $956$18.38
- Jefferson $955$18.37
- Pope $948$18.23
- White $948$18.23
- Columbia $947$18.21
- St. Francis $944$18.15
- Arkansas $942$18.12
- Greene $935$17.98
- Independence $934$17.96
- Clark $928$17.85
- Hot Spring $916$17.62
- Stone $916$17.62
- Marion $915$17.60
- Mississippi $909$17.48
- Hempstead $909$17.48
- Grant $909$17.48
- Sharp $909$17.48
- Cross $909$17.48
- Ouachita $909$17.48
- Conway $909$17.48
- Lafayette $909$17.48
- Sevier $909$17.48
- Logan $909$17.48
- Lincoln $909$17.48
- Phillips $909$17.48
- Yell $909$17.48
- Boone $909$17.48
- Johnson $909$17.48
- Drew $909$17.48
- Scott $909$17.48
- Van Buren $909$17.48
- Franklin $909$17.48
- Desha $909$17.48
- Polk $909$17.48
- Clay $909$17.48
- Ashley $909$17.48
- Lawrence $909$17.48
- Little River $909$17.48
- Howard $909$17.48
- Bradley $909$17.48
- Pike $909$17.48
- Randolph $909$17.48
- Jackson $909$17.48
- Lee $909$17.48
- Montgomery $909$17.48
- Dallas $909$17.48
- Fulton $909$17.48
- Prairie $909$17.48
- Izard $909$17.48
- Poinsett $909$17.48
- Newton $909$17.48
- Monroe $909$17.48
- Woodruff $909$17.48
- Searcy $909$17.48
- Chicot $909$17.48
- Cleveland $909$17.48
Source: Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Fair Market Rents (HUD) (external site) Source: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates Average 2020–2024 American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (external site)
Your rights as a tenant in Arkansas
What Arkansas law says about deposits, notices and eviction, with the citation for each rule.
See your rights, rule by ruleA summary of state law, not legal advice. Cities may have additional rules.
- How much can they charge for a deposit?
- Up to 2 months of rent
- Ark. Code §18-16-304
- When must they return my deposit?
- 60 days
- Ark. Code §18-16-305
- If I fall behind on rent, what notice must I get?
- 3 days
- Ark. Code §18-60-304
Help
Where to ask for help with rent in Arkansas
Free or official help. Demand usually exceeds funding, so waiting lists are common: ask at the agency for your county.
-
14 counseling agencies
HUD-approved; 8 serve in Spanish. They counsel renters for free.
See the agencies
Tool
How much rent can you afford?
Enter your income and compare with the fair market rent in your county.
Frequently asked questions
Which county in Arkansas is the most expensive to rent in?
By 2-bedroom fair market rent (Fiscal year 2027), the most expensive is Crittenden County ($1,301, about $25.02 an hour) and the cheapest Mississippi County ($909, about $17.48 an hour).
How many households in Arkansas spend too much on rent?
45% of renter households in Arkansas spend 30% or more of their income on rent, and 21% spend half or more (Average 2020–2024, Census). Nationwide, 51%.
What is fair market rent?
A figure HUD publishes every year by area and home size; Section 8 and other programs use it to set what they pay. It is not a market price or a cap on landlords. In Arkansas, for 2 bedrooms in Fiscal year 2027, it runs from $909 to $1,301 depending on the county.
Where do I ask for help paying rent in Arkansas?
127 public housing agencies run Section 8 vouchers and public housing in Arkansas; demand usually exceeds funding and waiting lists are common. HUD-approved counseling agencies counsel for free. Your county page shows the nearest ones.