Arkansas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Clay County, AR

Prices around Clay County, AR run 13.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, Arkansas). The typical household there earns $51,481 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $880 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $35,200 a year.

Clay County, AR at a glance

Median household income

$51,481$4,290 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$880HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.9-13.1% · BEA, Arkansas
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential AR
Population14,280Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Clay County, AR?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$880Monthly market rent
Share of gross income20.5%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$35,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,287At 30% of $51,481
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Clay County, AR? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Clay County, AR, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Clay County, AR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$658$7,896$26,32015.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$671$8,052$26,84015.6%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$880$10,560$35,20020.5%
3-Bedroom Home$1,191$14,292$47,64027.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,240$14,880$49,60028.9%

Rent in Clay County, AR, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Clay County, AR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $51,481 a year ($4,290 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,145/moRent ($880 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,287/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$858/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $51,481 leaves after Arkansas taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Arkansas tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$51,481
$20,000$105,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$51,481
Net 82%
Fed 8%
AR 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$42,083After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,507Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,619Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,998 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$1,462 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,938 / yr

Living in Clay County, AR: common questions

What is the median household income in Clay County, AR?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Clay County, AR is $51,481 per year (approximately $4,290 per month).

What is the average rent in Clay County, AR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $658 for a studio, $671 for one bedroom, $880 for two, $1,191 for three and $1,240 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Clay County, AR expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Arkansas is 86.9, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Clay County, AR?

To keep a $880 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $35,200 a year, or $2,933 a month. That is 68% of what the typical household in Clay County, AR earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Clay County, AR?

On the local median income of $51,481 ($4,290 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,145 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,287 for everything else and $858 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $880 takes 41% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Clay County, AR?

Homes in Arkansas paid 14.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $127. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.