Arkansas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Polk County, AR

Prices around Polk County, AR run 13.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, Arkansas). The typical household there earns $49,191 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $897 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $35,880 a year.

Polk County, AR at a glance

Median household income

$49,191$4,099 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$897HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.9-13.1% · BEA, Arkansas
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential AR
Population19,361Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Polk 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$897Monthly market rent
Share of gross income21.9%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$35,880To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,230At 30% of $49,191
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

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

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

HUD Fair Market Rent in Polk County, AR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$642$7,704$25,68015.7%
1-Bedroom Apartment$703$8,436$28,12017.1%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$897$10,764$35,88021.9%
3-Bedroom Home$1,076$12,912$43,04026.2%
4-Bedroom Home$1,188$14,256$47,52029%

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

What a typical income covers in Polk County, AR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $49,191 a year ($4,099 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,050/moRent ($897 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,230/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$820/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $49,191 leaves after Arkansas taxes

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

$49,191
$15,000$100,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$49,191
Net 82%
Fed 8%
AR 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$40,332After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,361Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,551Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$3,723 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$1,373 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$3,763 / yr

Living in Polk County, AR: common questions

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

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Polk County, AR is $49,191 per year (approximately $4,099 per month).

What is the average rent in Polk County, AR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $642 for a studio, $703 for one bedroom, $897 for two, $1,076 for three and $1,188 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 Polk 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 Polk County, AR?

To keep a $897 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $35,880 a year, or $2,990 a month. That is 73% of what the typical household in Polk County, AR earns.

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

On the local median income of $49,191 ($4,099 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,050 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,230 for everything else and $820 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $897 takes 44% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Polk 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.