Cost of Living in Forrest City
Forrest City's cost of living centers on genuinely deep housing affordability, offset by a median household income running well below both Arkansas's and the national figure.
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Learn moreGenuinely, deeply affordable housing
Zillow's average home value ran approximately $71,543 as of July 2026 -- though this record discloses that figure ran down 7.2% year-over-year, a real, disclosed weak trend rather than a simple affordability win (base record).
Arkansas's real, flat-declining 3.7% state income tax
Arkansas's real, current top individual income tax rate (3.7% for 2026) and full Social Security/retirement-income exemptions apply in Forrest City as statewide (base record).
A real, disclosed below-both-medians household income
Forrest City's median household income runs approximately $36,368 -- well below both Arkansas's statewide median and the national figure -- a real, disclosed factor movers should weigh directly against the low housing costs (base record).
Arkansas's real, elevated statewide sales tax and insurance costs
Arkansas's average combined sales tax rate runs 9.48% (Tax Foundation, 2026), and homeowners insurance runs well above the national average statewide -- real, disclosed costs against the low housing costs (base record).
Key takeaways
- Forrest City's ~$71,543 average home value runs genuinely, deeply affordable, though down 7.2% year-over-year as of July 2026.
- Arkansas's flat-declining 3.7% top state income tax (2026) applies statewide, including in Forrest City.
- Median household income (~$36,368) runs well below both the Arkansas statewide and national medians.
- Arkansas's 9.48% average combined sales tax rate and above-average homeowners insurance are real, disclosed trade-offs.
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