Cost of Living & Housing in Mena
Mena's cost of living centers on housing running genuinely affordable relative to Arkansas's broader statewide figures, paired with Polk County's exceptionally low effective property tax rate.
Exploring the idea of moving?
We can connect you with a local real estate professional who knows the area -- no pressure, just a starting point.
Learn moreAffordable housing, with a real recent-sales spread to confirm
Mena's Zillow-cited average home value runs approximately $198,866, while a separately cited trailing-3-month median sale price ran lower, approximately $153,000, down 12.0% year-over-year -- a real, disclosed spread this record flags as possibly reflecting small-sample volatility in a low-transaction-volume rural market (base record).
Polk County's exceptionally low 0.42% property tax rate
Polk County's own county-wide Ownwell median effective property tax rate runs approximately 0.42%, genuinely among the lowest this project has documented anywhere in Arkansas, producing a modest $350 median annual tax bill; a Mena-city-specific figure was not confirmed separately this pass (base record).
Arkansas's 3.7% flat-topping income tax
Arkansas's real, current top individual income tax rate is 3.7% for tax year 2026, with a full Social Security exemption and a $6,000 exclusion on other qualifying retirement income for taxpayers 59.5+ (base record).
Confirm current rent and employer data directly
A reliable, city-specific median rent figure and a confirmed, current named-employer list for Mena were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly with a local property manager and the Mena-Polk County Chamber of Commerce (base record).
Key takeaways
- Mena's average home value runs approximately $198,866, though recent 3-month median sales ran lower at approximately $153,000 -- confirm current comparables directly.
- Polk County's own 0.42% effective property tax rate is among the lowest documented anywhere in this project's Arkansas coverage.
- Arkansas's 3.7% top income tax rate and full Social Security exemption apply as documented statewide.
- A confirmed, current rent figure and named-employer list were not found with confidence this pass -- confirm both directly.
Want to know what your budget actually buys here?
Tell us a bit about what you're looking for and we'll connect you with someone local who can walk you through real numbers.
Get local guidanceRead the full Mena overview for the complete picture -- housing, taxes, climate, and who this place genuinely fits.
Planning a move?
Tell us what you're looking for and we'll connect you with a local expert who can help you make it happen.
Talk to a local expert