Arkansas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Howard County, AR

Prices around Howard County, AR run 13.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, Arkansas). The typical household there earns $45,603 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $883 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $35,320 a year.

Howard County, AR at a glance

Median household income

$45,603$3,800 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$883HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.9-13.1% · BEA, Arkansas
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential AR
Population12,583Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Howard 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$883Monthly market rent
Share of gross income23.2%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$35,320To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,140At 30% of $45,603
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Howard County, AR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$632$7,584$25,28016.6%
1-Bedroom Apartment$673$8,076$26,92017.7%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$883$10,596$35,32023.2%
3-Bedroom Home$1,059$12,708$42,36027.9%
4-Bedroom Home$1,272$15,264$50,88033.5%

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

What a typical income covers in Howard County, AR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $45,603 a year ($3,800 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$1,900/moRent ($883 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,140/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$760/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $45,603 leaves after Arkansas taxes

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

$45,603
$15,000$95,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$45,603
Net 82%
Fed 7%
AR 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$37,589After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,132Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,446Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate17.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,292 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$1,233 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,489 / yr

Living in Howard County, AR: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Howard County, AR is $45,603 per year (approximately $3,800 per month).

What is the average rent in Howard County, AR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $632 for a studio, $673 for one bedroom, $883 for two, $1,059 for three and $1,272 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 Howard 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 Howard County, AR?

To keep a $883 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $35,320 a year, or $2,943 a month. That is 77% of what the typical household in Howard County, AR earns.

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

On the local median income of $45,603 ($3,800 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $1,900 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,140 for everything else and $760 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $883 takes 46% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Howard 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.