Arkansas County

Arkansas County sits at a median home price of $125,222 with year-over-year appreciation of 1.3%, which places it squarely in the slow-appreciation, potentially cash-flow-oriented tier of the market spectrum. The county scores 100 on affordability and 63 on appreciation, but its cash flow score is listed at zero, which warrants attention before deploying capital. No median rent or gross rent-to-price ratio is provided in the data, meaning the cash-flow picture cannot be fully constructed from these numbers alone. What we do know is that at $125,222 and a 6.85% financing assumption, the entry price is low enough that even modest rents could produce workable yields, but investors should run their own rent comps before drawing conclusions about cap rate, which is not calculable from the available data.

The affordability score of 100 and a national percentile ranking of 81st out of 1,000 counties suggests this market punches above its weight in relative value, at least on the price side. That ranking places Arkansas County in the top fifth of U.S. counties by this tool's overall scoring methodology, with a state rank of 9 out of 74 Arkansas counties. The appreciation score of 63 is middling rather than exceptional, and 1.3% YoY price growth reflects a market that is not being bid up aggressively. Investors should not be buying here for equity-driven returns over a short hold period. The thesis, if there is one, is low acquisition cost against a backdrop of stable, affordable housing demand in a rural delta county.

The population of 17,024 is the single most important number to internalize before committing capital here. This is a small, rural county, and concentrated demand risk is real. Any meaningful population decline, employer departure, or agricultural downturn affecting the local economy can compress rental demand quickly in a market this size. No economic anchors were provided in the data, so the composition and stability of local employment cannot be assessed from these inputs. Investors who are unfamiliar with the county's tenant base and primary industries should treat that absence of data as a reason to conduct more diligence on the ground, not a reason to assume stability.

On the carry cost side, Arkansas County benefits from a low property tax environment. The state-average effective rate of 0.62%, flagged as "low" in this data set, translates to roughly $776 per year in property taxes on a $125,222 home. Combined with an estimated $601 annually in insurance, the all-in monthly tax-and-insurance burden is approximately $115. That is a genuine tailwind for cash-flow underwriting. At $115 per month in taxes and insurance, the fixed carry costs are lean relative to what investors face in high-tax states, and this cushion meaningfully lowers the rent threshold needed to break even. That said, this rate is a state-average estimate from Tax Foundation 2024 data, and county or township rates may differ, so confirm the actual millage before closing.

The regulatory and demographic risk here centers on scale. A county of 17,000 people with flat home price growth and no disclosed rental yield data is not a market that forgives poor asset selection or vacancy. If you are buying a single-family rental and your tenant leaves, the pool of replacement tenants is measurably thinner than in a metro submarket. Concentration risk is the primary underwriting concern, not the financing rate or the tax burden.

Comparing Arkansas County to its neighbors sharpens the positioning. Jefferson County has a median home price of $84,271 and a gross rent-to-price ratio of 12.6%, the highest yield signal in this peer group by a wide margin, making it the more obvious target for a pure cash-flow buyer. Independence County at $178,977 and White County at $201,544 both carry higher prices with gross yields of 5.9% and 7.8% respectively, pointing toward appreciation-oriented or hybrid strategies in larger, likely more liquid markets. Mississippi County at $108,866 is cheaper than Arkansas County but carries a slightly lower overall score of 69 versus 70. Perry County at $182,366 offers no rent data to evaluate. The case for choosing Arkansas County over its neighbors is essentially the combination of low entry price, low carry costs, and a top-quintile national ranking, but the absence of rent data and the small population make it a better fit for an investor with existing presence or knowledge in the delta region than for an outside buyer entering the market blind.