Arkansas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Columbia County, AR

Prices around Columbia County, AR run 13.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, Arkansas). The typical household there earns $55,334 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $903 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $36,120 a year.

Columbia County, AR at a glance

Median household income

$55,334$4,611 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$903HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.9-13.1% · BEA, Arkansas
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential AR
Population22,349Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Columbia 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$903Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.6%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$36,120To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,383At 30% of $55,334
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Columbia County, AR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$647$7,764$25,88014%
1-Bedroom Apartment$688$8,256$27,52014.9%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$903$10,836$36,12019.6%
3-Bedroom Home$1,191$14,292$47,64025.8%
4-Bedroom Home$1,196$14,352$47,84025.9%

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

What a typical income covers in Columbia County, AR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $55,334 a year ($4,611 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,306/moRent ($903 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,383/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$922/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $55,334 leaves after Arkansas taxes

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

$55,334
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$55,334
Net 81%
Fed 8%
AR 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$45,028After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,752Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,732Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,460 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$1,613 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,233 / yr

Living in Columbia County, AR: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Columbia County, AR is $55,334 per year (approximately $4,611 per month).

What is the average rent in Columbia County, AR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $647 for a studio, $688 for one bedroom, $903 for two, $1,191 for three and $1,196 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 Columbia 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 Columbia County, AR?

To keep a $903 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $36,120 a year, or $3,010 a month. That is 65% of what the typical household in Columbia County, AR earns.

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

On the local median income of $55,334 ($4,611 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,306 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,383 for everything else and $922 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $903 takes 39% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Columbia 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.